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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 116 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.

Make a worksheet

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: land · root · object · perch · rash · craft · squash · saw

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. saw — the tool
  4. land — ground
  5. root — of a word
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. object — a thing
  10. land — to come down
  11. squash — the sport
  12. land — a country
  13. craft — a skill
  14. rash — a series
  15. craft — boats
  16. saw — the tool
  17. root — of a plant
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. perch — the fish
  20. object — to protest
  21. rash — hasty
  22. root — the cause
  23. object — an aim
  24. squash — to crush

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