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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. toast — bread
  3. craft — boats
  4. staff — employees
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. staff — employees
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. game — a match
  12. mine — for digging
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. plane — a tool
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. perch — the fish
  22. game — wild animals
  23. staff — a stick
  24. craft — a handicraft

Multiple-meaning words list

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

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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