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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.

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: craft · land · perch · bark · prune · wave · leaves · sharp

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. prune — to trim
  7. sharp — clever
  8. perch — the fish
  9. craft — boats
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. craft — a skill
  12. prune — to trim
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. land — ground
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. land — to come down
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. bark — to shout
  24. land — a country

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