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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. perch — the fish
  4. mark — a trace
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. suit — in cards
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. band — a music group
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. suit — clothes
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. suit — to fit
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. rush — hurry
  21. plane — a tool
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. band — a ring

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