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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 owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. perch — the fish
  3. vault — a safe
  4. snap — to click
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. prune — to trim
  8. plane — a tool
  9. firm — decided
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. prune — to trim
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. firm — steady
  16. pass — a permit
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. firm — a company
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. pass — to succeed

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