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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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  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. plane — a tool
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. pop — soda
  5. bank — of a river
  6. lie — to recline
  7. bank — for money
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. ball — a great time
  10. spring — the season
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. bank — for money
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. spring — of water
  17. spring — a coil
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. pop — music
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. ball — a dance
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. pop — to visit
  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