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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: field · bay · craft · charge · mug · bulb · nail · perch

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  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. mug — to rob
  2. mug — a face
  3. craft — boats
  4. field — for sport
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. field — farmland
  11. charge — in control
  12. charge — a price
  13. charge — electricity
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. craft — a skill
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. mug — a cup
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. field — a subject
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. bulb — for light
  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