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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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. snap — to click
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. plane — a tool
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bulb — for light
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. band — a ring
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. stand — to bear
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. perch — the fish
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. band — a music group
  24. branch — a division

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