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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. fall — to drop
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. cap — of ice
  9. perch — the fish
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. board — to get on
  16. cap — a lid
  17. bass — low music
  18. board — a committee
  19. bass — the fish
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. cap — a hat
  23. fall — to drop
  24. fall — the season

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