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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. bank — for money
  4. deal — to handle
  5. kid — child
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. kid — to tease
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. craft — a skill
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. bank — of a river
  17. rock — music
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. bank — for money
  20. rock — a stone
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. perch — the fish
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. deal — an agreement

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