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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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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. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. snap — to click
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. scale — size or range
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. row — to paddle
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. row — a line
  14. perch — the fish
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. wax — to grow
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. ball — a great time
  24. scale — in music

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