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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. plane — a tool
  4. can — a tin
  5. bank — for money
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. bank — for money
  8. date — the fruit
  9. drill — a practice
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. perch — the fish
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. can — a tin
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. bank — of a river
  18. lean — to bend
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. drill — army training
  21. drill — the tool
  22. can — to be able to
  23. lean — thin
  24. date — on the calendar

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