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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. staff — employees
  3. perch — the fish
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. pop — music
  6. can — a tin
  7. pop — soda
  8. plane — a tool
  9. can — a tin
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. prune — to trim
  12. staff — employees
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. prune — to trim
  15. staff — a stick
  16. land — ground
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. object — an aim
  20. can — to be able to
  21. land — to come down
  22. land — a country
  23. pop — to visit
  24. object — to protest

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