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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 120 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
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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: object · arm · craft · wake · pop · perch · snap · band

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. craft — boats
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. craft — a skill
  7. wake — a trail
  8. pop — to visit
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. band — a music group
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. object — a thing
  13. perch — the fish
  14. snap — to click
  15. object — an aim
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. band — a ring
  18. pop — music
  19. object — to protest
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. arm — a part of something

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