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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 owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. suit — in cards
  4. cap — a lid
  5. suit — clothes
  6. plane — a tool
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. ground — the earth
  10. cap — a hat
  11. cap — of ice
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. deal — to handle
  14. spell — magic
  15. perch — the fish
  16. suit — to fit
  17. spell — letters
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. spell — a short time
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. ground — crushed
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. ground — a position
  24. lie — to recline

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