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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: craft · scale · rush · jam · leaves · perch · fan · drill

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. drill — the tool
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. scale — size or range
  7. rush — hurry
  8. perch — the fish
  9. drill — a practice
  10. scale — in music
  11. craft — boats
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. craft — a skill
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. drill — army training
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. fan — a supporter

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