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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. lean — to bend
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. file — a document
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. perch — the fish
  13. lean — thin
  14. bear — the animal
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. file — a tool
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. plane — a tool
  19. fork — in a road
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. bear — the animal
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. file — a line of people

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