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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. craft — a skill
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. perch — the fish
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. fine — high quality
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. fine — all right
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. saw — the tool
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. sharp — clever
  20. pound — a weight
  21. craft — boats
  22. saw — the tool
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. pound — to hit hard

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