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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  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. spell — letters
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. spell — a short time
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. prune — to trim
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. perch — the fish
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. craft — a skill
  16. prune — to trim
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. craft — boats
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. spell — magic
  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