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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. craft — boats
  4. craft — a skill
  5. rock — music
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. chest — of your body
  9. chest — a box
  10. rock — a stone
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. march — the month
  14. last — final
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. last — to go on
  17. march — music
  18. chest — of your body
  19. kick — in football
  20. march — the month
  21. perch — the fish
  22. last — finally
  23. stand — to bear
  24. kick — with a leg

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