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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 120 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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. rash — a series
  3. mark — a grade
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. pop — soda
  6. perch — the fish
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. pop — to visit
  9. mark — a trace
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. lean — thin
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. rash — hasty
  14. tube — the underground
  15. saw — the tool
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. pop — music
  18. plane — a tool
  19. tube — a container
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. lean — to bend
  22. saw — the tool
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. rash — on the skin

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