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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: season · can · perch · cap · plane · kid · ruler · field

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. field — a subject
  5. kid — child
  6. can — to be able to
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. field — for sport
  9. season — in sport
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. plane — a tool
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. season — of the year
  15. cap — a hat
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. can — a tin
  18. kid — to tease
  19. field — farmland
  20. can — a tin
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. cap — of ice
  23. perch — the fish
  24. cap — a lid

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