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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 president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. perch — the fish
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. fall — to drop
  5. fall — to drop
  6. stand — to bear
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. object — a thing
  10. fall — the season
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. suit — to fit
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. suit — clothes
  16. object — an aim
  17. plane — a tool
  18. suit — in cards
  19. branch — a division
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. object — to protest
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. squash — the sport

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