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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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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: lean · craft · present · content · perch · roll · dip · bear

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. roll — a list
  6. dip — to sink
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. perch — the fish
  9. bear — the animal
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. bear — the animal
  13. lean — to bend
  14. content — the amount
  15. present — there
  16. lean — thin
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. craft — boats
  19. present — the time now
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. present — a gift
  22. craft — a skill
  23. roll — a cake
  24. content — happy

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