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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 120 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. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. craft — boats
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. perch — the fish
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. board — to get on
  10. staff — employees
  11. season — of the year
  12. last — to go on
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. board — a committee
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. staff — employees
  17. last — final
  18. season — in sport
  19. staff — a stick
  20. last — finally
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. stand — to bear
  23. craft — a skill
  24. stand — for spectators

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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