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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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. lean — to rest against
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. perch — the fish
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. lean — to bend
  12. scale — in music
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. root — the cause
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. rest — what's left
  19. root — of a word
  20. root — of a plant
  21. rest — a break
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. rest — what's left
  24. scale — size or range

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