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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. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. tear — from crying
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. craft — a skill
  6. perch — the fish
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. tear — from crying
  10. sharp — clever
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. chair — a leader
  15. lean — thin
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. bank — of a river
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. craft — boats
  20. tear — to rip
  21. lean — to bend
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. bank — for money
  24. bank — for money

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