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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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. cap — a hat
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. band — a music group
  7. craft — a skill
  8. craft — boats
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. firm — steady
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. shower — to wash
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. perch — the fish
  17. firm — a company
  18. firm — decided
  19. band — a ring
  20. shower — rain
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. cap — a lid
  24. cap — of ice

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