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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 · calf · craft · rock · rest · jam · root · date

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. rest — what's left
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. root — of a word
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. date — the fruit
  10. rest — a break
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. root — of a plant
  13. rock — music
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. perch — the fish
  17. craft — a skill
  18. root — the cause
  19. rock — a stone
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. rest — what's left
  23. craft — boats
  24. calf — a young animal

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