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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 116 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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. mine — for digging
  3. can — a tin
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. march — the month
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. rock — a stone
  8. rock — music
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. march — the month
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. march — music
  15. perch — the fish
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. mark — a trace
  19. craft — a skill
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. craft — boats
  23. mark — a grade
  24. can — a tin

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