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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: key · arm · spell · craft · perch · press · pitcher · mate

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. mate — a friend
  3. press — a publisher
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. key — in music
  6. perch — the fish
  7. craft — a skill
  8. key — the most important part
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. mate — a partner
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. spell — letters
  13. spell — a short time
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. craft — boats
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. press — to push
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. key — for a lock
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. spell — magic
  22. press — newspapers
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. perch — for a bird

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