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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. vault — a safe
  3. swing — music
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. swing — to play on
  8. craft — a skill
  9. bulb — for light
  10. march — the month
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. march — the month
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. bulb — for light
  15. craft — boats
  16. swing — in golf
  17. bark — to shout
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. march — music
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. perch — the fish
  24. bulb — of a plant

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