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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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. fall — to drop
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. fall — the season
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. scale — size or range
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. fall — to drop
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. mark — a trace
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. mark — a grade
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. scale — in music
  23. perch — the fish
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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