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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: season · kid · cabinet · deal · lean · perch · plane · wake

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. deal — to handle
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. lean — thin
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. kid — to tease
  9. kid — child
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. season — in sport
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. plane — a tool
  19. perch — the fish
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. lean — to bend
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. season — of the year

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