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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. spell — letters
  3. perch — the fish
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. wake — a trail
  8. bass — the fish
  9. bass — low music
  10. spell — magic
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. craft — a skill
  15. suit — clothes
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. suit — to fit
  18. suit — in cards
  19. rock — a stone
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. rock — music
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. spell — a short time
  24. craft — a handicraft

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