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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. perch — the fish
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. ball — a dance
  5. land — to come down
  6. snap — to click
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. rock — music
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. ball — a great time
  12. craft — a skill
  13. land — ground
  14. rock — a stone
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. prune — to trim
  17. pass — a permit
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. craft — boats
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. land — a country
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. prune — to trim

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