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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.

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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 people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. perch — the fish
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. suit — clothes
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. suit — in cards
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. rash — hasty
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. rash — a series
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. suit — to fit
  22. lie — to recline
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. racket — a loud noise

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