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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · game · mouse · fine · bay · tube · fall

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. game — wild animals
  4. fall — to drop
  5. craft — a skill
  6. tube — the underground
  7. game — a match
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. fine — all right
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. perch — the fish
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. fall — the season
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. fine — high quality
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. craft — boats
  22. tube — a container
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. fall — to drop

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