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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.

Make a worksheet

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: stem · craft · game · chest · file · object · pitcher · perch

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. chest — a box
  3. file — a line of people
  4. chest — of your body
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. stem — to come from
  7. file — a document
  8. craft — a skill
  9. perch — the fish
  10. game — wild animals
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. file — a tool
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. object — an aim
  16. object — a thing
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. craft — boats
  19. object — to protest
  20. game — a match
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. chest — of your body
  24. stem — a stem cell

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