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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. plane — a tool
  3. mark — a trace
  4. rock — a stone
  5. fork — in a road
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. rock — music
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. wake — a trail
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. perch — the fish
  24. perch — for a bird

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