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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.

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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: fine · perch · wind · capital · ground · mine · craft · cabinet

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. craft — a skill
  4. fine — high quality
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. capital — money
  8. wind — moving air
  9. wind — moving air
  10. ground — a position
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. mine — for digging
  16. capital — a city
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. craft — boats
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. fine — all right
  21. ground — crushed
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. perch — the fish
  24. mine — belonging to me

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