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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. swing — to play on
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. swing — in golf
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. craft — boats
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. bulb — for light
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. perch — the fish
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. bulb — for light
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. prune — to trim
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. sharp — clever
  19. prune — to trim
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. craft — a skill
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. perch — for a bird

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