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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. mark — a trace
  3. bore — to tire
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. craft — boats
  7. row — to paddle
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. mark — a grade
  10. fork — in a road
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. bore — to drill
  21. row — a line
  22. craft — a skill
  23. bowl — a dish
  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