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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: object · plane · foot · dip · lie · perch · clip · fan

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. plane — a tool
  3. object — to protest
  4. clip — to cut
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. clip — for paper
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. clip — a video
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. foot — a measure
  15. object — a thing
  16. dip — to sink
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. perch — the fish
  20. lie — to recline
  21. object — an aim
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. foot — part of the body

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