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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 124 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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. plane — a tool
  4. season — of the year
  5. object — an aim
  6. lean — to bend
  7. bat — the animal
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. board — to get on
  11. lean — thin
  12. board — a committee
  13. perch — the fish
  14. tear — from crying
  15. object — a thing
  16. tear — to rip
  17. season — in sport
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. object — to protest
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. tear — from crying
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. bat — for baseball

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