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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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. perch — the fish
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. rest — a break
  8. rest — what's left
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. board — a committee
  11. vault — a safe
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. plane — a tool
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. bark — to shout
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. rest — what's left
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. board — to get on

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