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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 old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. craft — a skill
  3. rest — what's left
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. pop — to visit
  7. perch — the fish
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. pop — soda
  10. land — ground
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. craft — boats
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. rest — a break
  17. staff — employees
  18. rest — what's left
  19. land — to come down
  20. land — a country
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. pop — music
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. staff — employees

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