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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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. craft — boats
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. pound — a weight
  8. perch — the fish
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. craft — a skill
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. toast — bread
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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