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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 120 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: key · cap · plane · stock · rush · wake · perch · saw

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. plane — a tool
  3. saw — the tool
  4. saw — the tool
  5. stock — shares
  6. cap — of ice
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. cap — a hat
  10. key — for a lock
  11. key — the most important part
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. key — in music
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. stock — goods
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. wake — a trail
  19. perch — the fish
  20. rush — hurry
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. cap — a lid
  24. plane — an aircraft

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