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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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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: mine · fall · object · tube · plane · fork · bowl · perch

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. object — an aim
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. mine — for digging
  5. fall — to drop
  6. object — a thing
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. tube — the underground
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. fall — the season
  14. tube — a container
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. object — to protest
  19. plane — a tool
  20. fork — in a road
  21. fall — to drop
  22. perch — the fish
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. fork — to eat with

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