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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: plane · staff · face · swing · prune · rock · perch · wound

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  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. swing — music
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. face — part of the head
  4. wound — an injury
  5. staff — employees
  6. wound — an injury
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. face — to point toward
  9. face — to confront
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. swing — in golf
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. swing — to play on
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. plane — a tool
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. staff — employees
  19. rock — a stone
  20. prune — to trim
  21. rock — music
  22. prune — to trim
  23. staff — a stick
  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