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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. wound — an injury
  3. bass — the fish
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. mate — a partner
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. dip — to sink
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. wound — an injury
  13. mate — to breed
  14. bass — low music
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. mate — a friend
  19. perch — the fish
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. sharp — clever
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. dip — a sauce

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