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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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. mug — a cup
  3. craft — boats
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. craft — a skill
  7. season — in sport
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. stand — to bear
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. mug — a face
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. ball — a dance
  18. ball — a great time
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. mug — to rob
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. season — of the year
  24. perch — the fish

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