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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. game — a match
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. fork — in a road
  6. mug — a face
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. bass — the fish
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bass — low music
  12. mug — to rob
  13. perch — the fish
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. vault — a safe
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. game — wild animals
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. craft — boats
  22. mug — a cup
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. craft — a skill

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