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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: toast · perch · craft · wound · mug · pit · stand · sharp

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. sharp — clever
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. perch — the fish
  6. stand — to bear
  7. craft — a skill
  8. craft — boats
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. pit — in a race
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. mug — a face
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. mug — to rob
  15. pit — a hole
  16. wound — an injury
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. toast — bread
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. mug — a cup
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. wound — an injury

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