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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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. plane — a tool
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. suit — in cards
  7. suit — clothes
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. drill — the tool
  11. suit — to fit
  12. perch — the fish
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. kid — child
  15. drill — a practice
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. ball — a great time
  18. bore — to tire
  19. kid — to tease
  20. board — a committee
  21. ball — a dance
  22. drill — army training
  23. board — to get on
  24. bore — to drill

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