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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 120 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: hide · bowl · mug · board · plane · file · snap · perch

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. board — a committee
  5. board — to get on
  6. mug — a face
  7. file — a line of people
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. plane — a tool
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. snap — to click
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. mug — to rob
  14. file — a tool
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. file — a document
  23. mug — a cup
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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