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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 120 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: pass · perch · plane · ball · bowl · wound · cap · rule

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. ball — a dance
  3. wound — an injury
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. pass — a permit
  7. cap — a lid
  8. wound — an injury
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. cap — a hat
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. ball — a great time
  16. plane — a tool
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. rule — a law
  19. cap — of ice
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. perch — the fish
  24. rule — government

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