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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 · pitcher · bass · stand · temple · fork · lie · perch

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. lie — to recline
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. plane — a tool
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. stand — to bear
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. perch — the fish
  17. bass — the fish
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. bass — low music
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. fork — in a road
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. stand — on your feet

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