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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.

Make a worksheet

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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. bass — the fish
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. wound — an injury
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bear — the animal
  9. mug — a cup
  10. last — finally
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. mug — to rob
  13. perch — the fish
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. plane — a tool
  16. last — to go on
  17. bass — low music
  18. craft — boats
  19. mug — a face
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. last — final
  23. wound — an injury
  24. perch — for a bird

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