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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 116 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 owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. suit — clothes
  3. pop — to visit
  4. board — a committee
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. dip — to sink
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. suit — in cards
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. track — to keep track
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. perch — the fish
  15. suit — to fit
  16. pop — soda
  17. fork — in a road
  18. pop — music
  19. track — a song
  20. board — to get on
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. track — a path
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. plane — a tool

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