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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. rock — a stone
  6. key — the most important part
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. tube — the underground
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. pit — a hole
  14. key — for a lock
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. key — in music
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. tube — a container
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. pit — in a race
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. rock — music
  24. perch — the fish

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