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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. bear — the animal
  6. race — humankind
  7. shower — to wash
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. shower — rain
  10. bass — the fish
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. bear — the animal
  13. perch — the fish
  14. race — a contest
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. craft — a skill
  17. craft — boats
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. bass — low music
  23. race — the arms race
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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