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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 120 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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. season — of the year
  8. hand — in cards
  9. present — a gift
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. perch — the fish
  12. hand — help
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. bark — to shout
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. scale — size or range
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. scale — in music
  19. season — in sport
  20. present — the time now
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. vault — a safe
  24. present — there

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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