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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 birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. net — after costs
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. spell — a short time
  5. shower — to wash
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. object — a thing
  9. object — to protest
  10. spell — magic
  11. board — a committee
  12. shower — rain
  13. object — an aim
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. net — in sport
  16. plane — a tool
  17. net — for catching
  18. board — to get on
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. spell — letters
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. perch — the fish

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