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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. prune — to trim
  4. prune — to trim
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. cue — a hint
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. cue — for pool
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. mine — for digging
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. cue — a signal
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. craft — a skill
  24. perch — the fish

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