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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  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. hide — animal skin
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. suit — to fit
  4. plane — a tool
  5. suit — clothes
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. file — a line of people
  11. lean — thin
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. suit — in cards
  17. perch — the fish
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. lean — to bend
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. file — a document
  22. file — a tool
  23. branch — a division
  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