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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 owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. The water is too ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bank — of a river
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. cold — not warm
  7. craft — boats
  8. bear — the animal
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. cold — the Cold War
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. craft — a skill
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. roll — a cake
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. bound — certain
  17. perch — the fish
  18. bound — tied together
  19. cold — an illness
  20. bank — for money
  21. roll — a list
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. bound — obliged
  24. bank — for money

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