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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 owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. content — the amount
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. cap — a hat
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. perch — the fish
  10. charge — electricity
  11. cap — a lid
  12. game — wild animals
  13. wound — an injury
  14. charge — in control
  15. wound — an injury
  16. cap — of ice
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. content — happy
  19. game — a match
  20. wake — a trail
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. charge — a price
  24. content — videos and posts

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