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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 116 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 owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. chair — a leader
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. craft — boats
  8. perch — the fish
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. craft — a skill
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. ball — a dance
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. current — of water
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. current — happening now
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. ball — a great time
  24. current — electric

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