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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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. fall — to drop
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. craft — a skill
  7. fall — the season
  8. craft — boats
  9. perch — the fish
  10. root — of a word
  11. firm — a company
  12. kick — in football
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. fall — to drop
  16. firm — steady
  17. root — the cause
  18. board — to get on
  19. firm — decided
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. board — a committee
  22. root — of a plant
  23. wind — moving air
  24. craft — a handicraft

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