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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. suit — clothes
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. perch — the fish
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. swing — to play on
  7. swing — music
  8. plane — a tool
  9. lie — to recline
  10. suit — in cards
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. roll — a cake
  14. rest — what's left
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. rest — a break
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. suit — to fit
  23. swing — in golf
  24. roll — a list

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