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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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. fork — in a road
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. rest — what's left
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. lie — to recline
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. rest — a break
  12. toast — bread
  13. pound — a weight
  14. last — to go on
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. last — final
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. plane — a tool
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. perch — the fish
  23. rest — what's left
  24. fork — to eat with

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