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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. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. band — a music group
  5. bulb — for light
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bear — the animal
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. craft — a skill
  14. perch — the fish
  15. band — a ring
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. dip — to sink
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bear — the animal
  22. craft — boats
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. band — a rubber band

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