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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 bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. degree — temperature
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. degree — an amount
  5. bear — the animal
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. bear — the animal
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. track — to keep track
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. craft — boats
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. bore — to drill
  16. degree — from a university
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. bore — to tire
  19. wax — to grow
  20. track — a song
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. perch — the fish
  23. craft — a skill
  24. track — a path

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