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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 120 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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. pop — soda
  3. sharp — clever
  4. suit — to fit
  5. pop — to visit
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. perch — the fish
  11. craft — a skill
  12. suit — in cards
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. suit — clothes
  15. saw — the tool
  16. craft — boats
  17. spell — letters
  18. spell — magic
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. saw — the tool
  21. pop — music
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. spell — a short time

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