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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. perch — the fish
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. craft — boats
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. scale — in music
  8. staff — employees
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. stand — to bear
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. craft — a skill
  14. staff — employees
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. staff — a stick
  22. scale — size or range
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. mouse — the animal

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