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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.

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: scale · cap · craft · lean · season · rash · perch · root

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. lean — to bend
  4. scale — in music
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. scale — size or range
  7. craft — a skill
  8. lean — thin
  9. cap — a lid
  10. root — of a plant
  11. season — of the year
  12. cap — of ice
  13. rash — hasty
  14. root — of a word
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. craft — boats
  17. rash — a series
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. perch — the fish
  21. cap — a hat
  22. root — the cause
  23. season — in sport
  24. season — to add flavour

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