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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. prune — to trim
  3. hand — help
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. plane — a tool
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. perch — the fish
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. lie — to recline
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. prune — to trim
  24. toast — bread

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