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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 120 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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. dip — to sink
  3. deal — to handle
  4. swing — to play on
  5. perch — the fish
  6. plane — a tool
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. swing — in golf
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. swing — music
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. pass — a permit
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. nail — for a hammer
  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