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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. can — to be able to
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. craft — a skill
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. perch — the fish
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. drill — army training
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. can — a tin
  11. bulb — for light
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. sharp — clever
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. bulb — for light
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. drill — the tool
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. craft — boats
  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