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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 · trunk · perch · bear · can · face · wake · chest

  1. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. face — part of the head
  3. chest — a box
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. bear — the animal
  6. can — a tin
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. perch — the fish
  11. can — to be able to
  12. wake — a trail
  13. chest — of your body
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. bear — the animal
  16. plane — a tool
  17. face — to point toward
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. can — a tin
  20. face — to confront
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. wake — before a funeral

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