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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: plane · lean · spell · perch · wound · craft · ruler · coach

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as 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. spell — letters
  2. spell — a short time
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. craft — a skill
  7. wound — an injury
  8. wound — an injury
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. perch — the fish
  12. spell — magic
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. plane — a tool
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. lean — to bend
  21. craft — boats
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. perch — for a bird
  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