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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. last — finally
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. last — to go on
  12. craft — boats
  13. rest — a break
  14. rest — what's left
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. perch — the fish
  18. last — final
  19. snap — to click
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. craft — a skill
  23. rest — what's left
  24. cabinet — ministers

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