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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: perch · craft · snap · cabinet · key · lie · toast · content

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. key — in music
  5. key — the most important part
  6. perch — the fish
  7. content — happy
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. content — the amount
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. craft — boats
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. snap — to click
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. toast — bread
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. craft — a skill
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. key — for a lock

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