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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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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: snap · perch · cue · plane · temple · lie · toast · hide

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. cue — for pool
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. perch — the fish
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. lie — to recline
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. cue — a signal
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. plane — a tool
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. snap — to click
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. toast — bread
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. cue — a hint

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