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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. land — ground
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. perch — the fish
  6. land — a country
  7. land — to come down
  8. object — to protest
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. field — farmland
  11. sharp — clever
  12. field — for sport
  13. object — a thing
  14. ball — a great time
  15. can — to be able to
  16. craft — boats
  17. ball — a dance
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. craft — a skill
  20. object — an aim
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. field — a subject
  23. sharp — exactly
  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