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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 birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. craft — a skill
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. race — humankind
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. fine — all right
  13. pop — soda
  14. lie — to recline
  15. craft — boats
  16. pop — music
  17. fine — high quality
  18. plane — a tool
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. race — a contest
  21. race — the arms race
  22. perch — the fish
  23. pop — to visit
  24. fine — a penalty

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