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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. lean — thin
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. bark — to shout
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. craft — boats
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. lean — to bend
  10. pop — soda
  11. craft — a skill
  12. perch — the fish
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. scale — size or range
  15. bore — to tire
  16. spell — letters
  17. pop — to visit
  18. scale — in music
  19. spell — a short time
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. bore — to drill
  22. pop — music
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. spell — magic

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