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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. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. bore — to tire
  8. perch — the fish
  9. game — wild animals
  10. bore — to drill
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. craft — boats
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. game — a match
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. squash — to crush
  20. squash — the sport
  21. craft — a skill
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. straw — a straw man

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