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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 116 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. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. ball — a dance
  3. current — electric
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. bear — the animal
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. rock — a stone
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. current — happening now
  10. craft — boats
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. ball — a great time
  13. craft — a skill
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. rock — music
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. bear — the animal
  23. current — of water
  24. perch — the fish

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