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

Word bank: date · nail · craft · suit · perch · object · bowl · pit

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. object — an aim
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. craft — a skill
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. object — to protest
  11. suit — clothes
  12. suit — in cards
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. suit — to fit
  18. craft — boats
  19. perch — the fish
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. object — a thing
  22. pit — in a race
  23. pit — a hole
  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