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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. track — a path
  5. saw — the tool
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. object — to protest
  8. track — to keep track
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. bound — obliged
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. track — a song
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. object — an aim
  15. game — wild animals
  16. saw — the tool
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. bound — certain
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. perch — the fish
  22. object — a thing
  23. game — a match
  24. bound — tied together

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