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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. perch — the fish
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. row — a line
  8. rest — a break
  9. row — to paddle
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. bound — tied together
  12. branch — a division
  13. bound — obliged
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. current — of water
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. current — happening now
  20. lie — to recline
  21. plane — a tool
  22. rest — what's left
  23. bound — certain
  24. current — electric

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