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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. roll — a list
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. court — of a king
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. plane — a tool
  7. rock — a stone
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. perch — the fish
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. deal — to handle
  17. court — for sport
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. court — of law
  20. lie — to recline
  21. stem — to come from
  22. rock — music
  23. roll — a cake
  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