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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: can · key · craft · fan · racket · saw · perch · stock

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. can — a tin
  6. can — to be able to
  7. craft — a skill
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. stock — goods
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. perch — the fish
  12. craft — boats
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. saw — the tool
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. key — for a lock
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. key — the most important part
  19. stock — shares
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. key — in music
  23. saw — the tool
  24. racket — for tennis

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