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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.

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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: snap · perch · foot · pound · pop · bore · craft · roll

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. craft — a skill
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. pop — music
  12. snap — to click
  13. pop — to visit
  14. perch — the fish
  15. bore — to tire
  16. bore — to drill
  17. roll — a cake
  18. pop — soda
  19. craft — boats
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. pound — a weight
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. roll — a list
  24. foot — the bottom

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