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

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. rest — a break
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. clip — a video
  9. clip — to cut
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. clip — for paper
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. perch — the fish
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. rest — what's left
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. rest — what's left
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. toast — bread
  24. stand — to bear

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