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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.

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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: fork · perch · trunk · jam · plane · scale · lie · shower

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. perch — the fish
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. shower — rain
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. shower — to wash
  8. scale — size or range
  9. fork — in a road
  10. scale — in music
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. plane — a tool
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. lie — to recline
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. plane — an aircraft

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