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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: pop · lash · craft · bass · suit · tear · spell · perch

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. tear — from crying
  4. perch — the fish
  5. suit — in cards
  6. pop — to visit
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. suit — clothes
  9. spell — a short time
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. bass — the fish
  12. craft — a skill
  13. craft — boats
  14. pop — soda
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. bass — low music
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. tear — from crying
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. pop — music
  21. suit — to fit
  22. spell — magic
  23. tear — to rip
  24. spell — letters

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