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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. lean — thin
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. track — a path
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. bore — to tire
  8. perch — the fish
  9. lean — to bend
  10. track — to keep track
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. track — a song
  14. rule — government
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. rule — a law
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. bore — to drill
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. coach — a trainer

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