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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 116 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: race · land · fork · wave · perch · dip · plane · can

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. race — a contest
  3. can — a tin
  4. perch — the fish
  5. can — a tin
  6. plane — a tool
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. land — to come down
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. race — humankind
  11. land — ground
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. can — to be able to
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. fork — in a road
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. land — a country
  20. dip — to sink
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. race — the arms race
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. fork — to eat with

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