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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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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: file · perch · lean · plane · object · saw · fan · shower

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. file — a tool
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. object — an aim
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. saw — the tool
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. shower — rain
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. object — to protest
  12. plane — a tool
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. lean — to bend
  15. file — a document
  16. shower — to wash
  17. perch — the fish
  18. object — a thing
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. saw — the tool
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. file — a line of people
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. lean — thin

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