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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. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  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. perch — for a bird
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. roll — a cake
  4. mate — to breed
  5. mate — a friend
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. perch — the fish
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. craft — boats
  11. stand — to bear
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. roll — a list
  14. saw — the tool
  15. season — in sport
  16. saw — the tool
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. season — of the year
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. mate — a partner
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. craft — a skill
  24. perch — for a bird

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