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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. track — to keep track
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. tube — a container
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. track — a song
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. craft — boats
  18. dip — to sink
  19. vault — a safe
  20. tube — the underground
  21. perch — the fish
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. track — a path

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