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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. rest — what's left
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. craft — a skill
  6. bulb — for light
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. craft — boats
  9. file — a tool
  10. cue — for pool
  11. cue — a hint
  12. foot — a measure
  13. file — a document
  14. perch — the fish
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. rest — what's left
  20. bulb — for light
  21. file — a line of people
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. cue — a signal
  24. foot — part of the body

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com