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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.

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: plane · perch · wind · roll · hide · march · foot · can

  1. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. can — a tin
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. perch — the fish
  7. wind — moving air
  8. foot — a measure
  9. march — the month
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. march — music
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. roll — a cake
  15. can — to be able to
  16. march — the month
  17. can — a tin
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. roll — a list
  24. plane — a tool

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