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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 birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. ground — crushed
  5. ground — the earth
  6. chest — of your body
  7. face — to point toward
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. ground — a position
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. face — to confront
  12. plane — a tool
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. chest — of your body
  17. perch — the fish
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. face — part of the head
  20. stem — to come from
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. chest — a box
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. stem — of a plant

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