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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. plane — a tool
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. tube — the underground
  8. tube — a container
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. snap — to click
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. land — to come down
  19. land — ground
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. land — a country
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. plane — in geometry

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