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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: perch · chip · lie · roll · cabinet · craft · scale · bear

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. bear — the animal
  3. chip — for betting
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. scale — in music
  9. craft — boats
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. scale — size or range
  12. chip — to eat
  13. lie — to recline
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. perch — the fish
  16. roll — a list
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. roll — a cake
  23. bear — the animal
  24. perch — for a bird

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