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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. bank — for money
  4. fall — the season
  5. perch — the fish
  6. game — wild animals
  7. fall — to drop
  8. bank — for money
  9. object — a thing
  10. fall — to drop
  11. bank — of a river
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. bat — the animal
  15. game — a match
  16. plane — a tool
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. object — to protest
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. rush — hurry
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. object — an aim
  23. bat — in an idiom
  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