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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. cap — a hat
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. row — a line
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. cap — of ice
  12. row — to paddle
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. foot — a measure
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. cap — a lid
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. plane — a tool
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. perch — the fish
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. ruler — a monarch

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