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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 birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. perch — the fish
  3. current — of water
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. current — electric
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. lean — thin
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. lean — to bend
  11. plane — a tool
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. current — happening now
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. stand — to bear

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