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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. face — part of the head
  3. perch — the fish
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. present — there
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. pound — a weight
  17. present — the time now
  18. wake — a trail
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. face — to confront
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. face — to point toward
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. present — a gift

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