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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. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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. temple — side of the head
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. perch — the fish
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. lean — thin
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. ball — a dance
  12. kick — in football
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. lean — to bend
  15. bark — to shout
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. ball — a great time
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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