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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 116 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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. craft — boats
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. perch — the fish
  6. object — an aim
  7. bound — certain
  8. spring — of water
  9. fall — to drop
  10. craft — a skill
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. bound — obliged
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. bound — tied together
  15. object — to protest
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. spring — a coil
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. bore — to tire
  20. fall — to drop
  21. dip — to sink
  22. fall — the season
  23. spring — the season
  24. bore — to drill

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