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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. track — a song
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. clip — to cut
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. object — a thing
  8. clip — for paper
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. track — a path
  11. clip — a video
  12. charge — electricity
  13. charge — a price
  14. swing — music
  15. swing — in golf
  16. perch — the fish
  17. object — to protest
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. charge — in control
  20. object — an aim
  21. track — to keep track
  22. swing — to play on
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. coach — a trainer

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