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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 owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. plane — a tool
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. fall — to drop
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. fall — to drop
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. band — a ring
  17. perch — the fish
  18. fall — the season
  19. band — a music group
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. wax — to grow

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