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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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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: saw · straw · patient · craft · wave · toast · perch · foot

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. saw — the tool
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. foot — a measure
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. craft — a skill
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. perch — the fish
  18. saw — the tool
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. toast — bread
  21. craft — boats
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. patient — a sick person

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