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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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  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. spring — a coil
  2. mate — a partner
  3. craft — boats
  4. perch — the fish
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. firm — decided
  8. mate — a friend
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. spring — the season
  13. firm — a company
  14. spring — of water
  15. craft — a skill
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. mate — to breed
  19. firm — steady
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. coach — a trainer
  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