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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. lie — to recline
  3. perch — the fish
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. foot — a measure
  8. bank — for money
  9. plane — a tool
  10. bank — for money
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. wake — a trail
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. bank — of a river
  19. toast — bread
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. perch — for a bird

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