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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
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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: craft · plane · hide · court · foot · game · fork · perch

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. fork — in a road
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. craft — a skill
  5. plane — a tool
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. court — of law
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. craft — boats
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. perch — the fish
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. court — for sport
  18. court — of a king
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. game — a match
  23. game — wild animals
  24. plane — in geometry

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