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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 120 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.

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: lean · cap · perch · fall · ball · mark · tube · craft

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. cap — of ice
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. lean — thin
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. craft — a skill
  9. craft — boats
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. lean — to bend
  12. perch — the fish
  13. fall — to drop
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. mark — a trace
  16. tube — a container
  17. fall — to drop
  18. ball — a great time
  19. mark — a grade
  20. tube — the underground
  21. cap — a hat
  22. fall — the season
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. ball — a dance

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