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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 120 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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468
Word bank
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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. snap — to click
  4. mate — to breed
  5. mate — a friend
  6. perch — the fish
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. craft — a skill
  9. mark — a grade
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. craft — boats
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. foot — a measure
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. mark — a trace
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. mate — a partner
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. racket — for tennis
  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