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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. craft — boats
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. file — a document
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. can — to be able to
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. can — a tin
  19. file — a line of people
  20. file — a tool
  21. craft — a skill
  22. can — a tin
  23. perch — the fish
  24. wave — of the sea

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