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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. tube — the underground
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. perch — the fish
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. current — electric
  8. land — to come down
  9. land — a country
  10. current — of water
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. tube — a container
  13. current — happening now
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. land — ground
  20. toast — bread
  21. craft — boats
  22. craft — a skill
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. bear — the animal

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