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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: scale · stick · perch · plane · sharp · bulb · trunk · lie

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. plane — a tool
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. lie — to recline
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. perch — the fish
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. scale — size or range
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. sharp — clever
  19. scale — in music
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bulb — for light
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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