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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. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. stem — to come from
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. row — to paddle
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. deal — to handle
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. wake — a trail
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. key — the most important part
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. row — a line
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. perch — the fish
  22. key — in music
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. key — for a lock

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