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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 had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. rock — a stone
  3. perch — the fish
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. can — a tin
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. face — to point toward
  9. plane — a tool
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. face — to confront
  12. prune — to trim
  13. prune — to trim
  14. saw — the tool
  15. saw — the tool
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. rock — music
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. can — to be able to
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. can — a tin
  24. plane — an aircraft

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