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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: stand · perch · plane · season · shower · race · bear · bore

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. perch — the fish
  3. bore — to tire
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. bear — the animal
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. shower — to wash
  10. bear — the animal
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. race — a contest
  13. race — the arms race
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. season — of the year
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. shower — rain
  19. stand — to bear
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. bore — to drill
  23. season — in sport
  24. race — humankind

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