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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 116 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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. craft — boats
  3. perch — the fish
  4. fall — the season
  5. saw — the tool
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. mark — a grade
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. craft — a skill
  10. saw — the tool
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. mark — a trace
  14. scale — size or range
  15. fall — to drop
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. fall — to drop
  18. scale — in music
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. bore — to tire
  23. bore — to drill
  24. mark — to pay attention

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