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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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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: date · perch · wound · craft · bear · bowl · trunk · key

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. key — in music
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. craft — a skill
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. date — the fruit
  11. key — for a lock
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. perch — the fish
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. wound — an injury
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. key — the most important part
  19. wound — an injury
  20. craft — boats
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. date — on the calendar

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