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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. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  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. clip — to cut
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. perch — the fish
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. vault — a safe
  6. court — of a king
  7. object — a thing
  8. object — to protest
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. clip — for paper
  12. court — for sport
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. clip — a video
  15. craft — a skill
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. object — an aim
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. craft — boats
  23. court — of law
  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