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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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. dip — to sink
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. craft — boats
  5. suit — in cards
  6. game — wild animals
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. suit — clothes
  10. date — the fruit
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. suit — to fit
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. stand — to bear
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. game — a match
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. perch — the fish
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. craft — a skill
  24. mine — for digging

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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