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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 · stick · racket · face · stand · perch · rush · march

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  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. perch — for a bird
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. march — the month
  5. march — the month
  6. face — part of the head
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. march — music
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. face — to confront
  11. stand — to bear
  12. face — to point toward
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. rush — hurry
  16. perch — the fish
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. plane — a tool
  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