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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. branch — a division
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. dip — to sink
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. perch — the fish
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. plane — a tool
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. pound — a weight
  17. pass — a permit
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. fork — in a road
  24. foot — a measure

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