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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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. fall — to drop
  4. mark — a grade
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. fall — the season
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. ball — a great time
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. mark — a trace
  14. ball — a dance
  15. fall — to drop
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. kick — in football
  18. ruler — a monarch

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