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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: craft · perch · bat · track · can · patient · pit · bear

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. pit — a hole
  3. track — a path
  4. can — to be able to
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. bear — the animal
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. bat — the animal
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. can — a tin
  11. craft — boats
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. track — to keep track
  15. pit — in a race
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. craft — a skill
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. track — a song
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. bear — the animal
  23. can — a tin
  24. patient — a sick person

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