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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: present · perch · craft · rock · ball · lash · saw · bore

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. craft — boats
  3. craft — a skill
  4. saw — the tool
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. ball — a dance
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. rock — a stone
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. present — the time now
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. saw — the tool
  15. bore — to tire
  16. perch — the fish
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. bore — to drill
  19. present — there
  20. present — a gift
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. ball — a great time

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