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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 116 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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. perch — the fish
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. rash — a series
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. rash — hasty
  11. net — in sport
  12. plane — a tool
  13. net — for catching
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. wind — moving air
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. net — after costs
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. rest — what's left
  21. wind — moving air
  22. dip — to sink
  23. rest — what's left
  24. rest — a break

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