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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. suit — in cards
  3. hand — help
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. craft — boats
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. suit — clothes
  10. perch — the fish
  11. suit — to fit
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. craft — a skill
  15. hand — in cards
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. rash — hasty
  21. rash — a series
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. ball — a dance
  24. fan — a supporter

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