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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 birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. rest — what's left
  3. present — the time now
  4. present — there
  5. rest — a break
  6. net — after costs
  7. net — in sport
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. net — for catching
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. present — a gift
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bulb — for light
  17. deal — to handle
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. rest — what's left
  21. kick — in football
  22. perch — the fish
  23. plane — a tool
  24. bulb — of a plant

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