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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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468
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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. object — to protest
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. object — an aim
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. lie — to recline
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. pit — a hole
  17. craft — a skill
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. pit — in a race
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. pound — a weight
  22. dip — to sink
  23. object — a thing
  24. perch — the fish

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