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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: perch · row · ruler · craft · field · toast · leaves · vault

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. toast — bread
  3. craft — boats
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. field — farmland
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. craft — a skill
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. field — for sport
  11. field — a subject
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. vault — a safe
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. row — a line
  20. perch — the fish
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. row — to paddle

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