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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 116 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: squash · plane · leaves · track · cell · perch · hide · chip

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. cell — a phone
  4. cell — in biology
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. track — a path
  11. squash — the sport
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. squash — to crush
  15. chip — to eat
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. perch — the fish
  19. track — a song
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. plane — a tool
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. track — to keep track
  24. chip — for betting

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