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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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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: cap · rest · stick · craft · pop · perch · last · season

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. last — final
  4. last — to go on
  5. rest — a break
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. cap — a lid
  8. pop — to visit
  9. pop — music
  10. rest — what's left
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. craft — a skill
  13. last — finally
  14. season — in sport
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. craft — boats
  17. pop — soda
  18. cap — of ice
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. rest — what's left
  21. season — of the year
  22. perch — the fish
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. cap — a hat

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