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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: plane · perch · safe · deal · rest · bat · face · object

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. rest — a break
  6. object — to protest
  7. deal — to handle
  8. rest — what's left
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. bat — the animal
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. face — part of the head
  13. rest — what's left
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. plane — a tool
  18. object — an aim
  19. perch — the fish
  20. face — to confront
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. object — a thing
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. face — to point toward

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