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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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. ruler — for measuring
  4. lean — to bend
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. pass — a permit
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. lean — thin
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. perch — the fish
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. file — a tool
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. stock — shares
  18. plane — a tool
  19. stock — goods
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. dip — to sink
  22. file — a document
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. file — a line of people

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