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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. row — a line
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. suit — clothes
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. suit — in cards
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. row — to paddle
  14. lie — to recline
  15. perch — the fish
  16. field — a subject
  17. suit — to fit
  18. field — for sport
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. craft — boats
  21. ball — a dance
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. field — farmland
  24. ball — a great 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