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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. root — of a word
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. mate — a partner
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. perch — the fish
  10. deal — to handle
  11. root — the cause
  12. mate — to breed
  13. craft — a skill
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. craft — boats
  17. mate — a friend
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. root — of a plant
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. shower — to wash
  22. shower — rain
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. pound — a weight

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