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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. present — the time now
  4. craft — a skill
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. vault — a safe
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. present — there
  11. present — a gift
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. bear — the animal
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. bear — the animal
  19. saw — the tool
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. deal — to handle
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. perch — the fish
  24. saw — the tool

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