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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. craft — boats
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. plane — a tool
  5. row — to paddle
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. foot — a measure
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. deal — to handle
  10. row — a line
  11. craft — a skill
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. perch — the fish
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. cabinet — ministers

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