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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: bowl · pit · craft · chest · perch · calf · row · can

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. pit — in a race
  4. row — a line
  5. perch — the fish
  6. can — a tin
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. row — to paddle
  9. craft — a skill
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. can — to be able to
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. chest — of your body
  15. pit — a hole
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. chest — a box
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. can — a tin
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. craft — boats
  24. chest — of your body

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