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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: pop · perch · dip · board · rock · rush · fall · plane

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. perch — the fish
  3. pop — to visit
  4. pop — soda
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. fall — the season
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. fall — to drop
  10. dip — to sink
  11. board — to get on
  12. fall — to drop
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. plane — a tool
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. rock — a stone
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. board — a committee
  23. rush — hurry
  24. rock — music

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