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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. stand — to bear
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. ball — a great time
  10. bear — the animal
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. fall — the season
  14. ball — a dance
  15. bear — the animal
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. fall — to drop
  18. plane — a tool
  19. perch — the fish
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. craft — boats
  22. fall — to drop
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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