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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: shower · plane · perch · bulb · cap · mark · roll · stock

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. cap — of ice
  3. cap — a lid
  4. roll — a list
  5. mark — a grade
  6. mark — a trace
  7. stock — goods
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. stock — shares
  11. shower — rain
  12. perch — the fish
  13. bulb — for light
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. roll — a cake
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. bulb — for light
  21. cap — a hat
  22. shower — to wash
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. plane — an aircraft

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