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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 party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. game — wild animals
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. stem — to come from
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. perch — the fish
  20. rash — hasty
  21. game — a match
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. ruler — for measuring

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