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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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. perch — the fish
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. hand — in cards
  6. bound — tied together
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. cap — of ice
  9. swing — music
  10. cap — a lid
  11. hand — help
  12. bound — obliged
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. press — to push
  15. press — newspapers
  16. press — a publisher
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. bound — certain
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. plane — a tool
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. swing — in golf
  24. cap — a hat

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