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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. The water is too ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. can — a tin
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. cold — not warm
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. cold — the Cold War
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. perch — the fish
  13. can — to be able to
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. snap — to click
  16. rash — hasty
  17. cold — an illness
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. rash — a series

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