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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. tube — a container
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. present — there
  9. dip — to sink
  10. object — to protest
  11. perch — the fish
  12. object — an aim
  13. present — a gift
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. tube — the underground
  16. present — the time now
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. craft — boats
  19. craft — a skill
  20. object — a thing
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. pass — a permit
  24. craft — a handicraft

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