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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. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. plane — a tool
  3. race — humankind
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. board — a committee
  9. race — a contest
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. game — wild animals
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. board — to get on
  17. perch — the fish
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. lie — to recline
  21. race — the arms race
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. game — a match
  24. board — a flat piece

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