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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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Word bank
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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. march — the month
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. march — music
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. root — the cause
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. root — of a plant
  14. plane — a tool
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. lie — to recline
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. kid — to tease
  19. perch — the fish
  20. kid — child
  21. root — of a word
  22. march — the month
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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