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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. craft — boats
  4. march — the month
  5. march — music
  6. mine — for digging
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. march — the month
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. suit — in cards
  11. mug — to rob
  12. mate — a friend
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. suit — clothes
  15. suit — to fit
  16. mate — to breed
  17. mate — a partner
  18. mug — a cup
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. mug — a face
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. craft — a skill
  24. perch — for a bird

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