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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 120 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's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. season — of the year
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ball — a dance
  8. can — to be able to
  9. craft — boats
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. ball — a great time
  12. chest — of your body
  13. perch — the fish
  14. can — a tin
  15. season — in sport
  16. chest — a box
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. chest — of your body
  21. craft — a skill
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. can — a tin

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