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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: sharp · spell · plane · pit · perch · rule · track · bowl

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. track — to keep track
  3. spell — a short time
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. rule — a law
  9. plane — a tool
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. track — a song
  12. pit — in a race
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. pit — a hole
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. rule — government
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. perch — the fish
  20. track — a path
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. sharp — clever
  23. spell — magic
  24. spell — letters

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