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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 120 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. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. suit — in cards
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. track — a song
  7. track — to keep track
  8. suit — clothes
  9. lie — to recline
  10. track — a path
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. plane — a tool
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. season — in sport
  17. season — of the year
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. chest — a box
  20. suit — to fit
  21. perch — the fish
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. chest — of your body
  24. plane — in geometry

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