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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 116 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 owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. rock — music
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. face — to confront
  10. rock — a stone
  11. file — a line of people
  12. face — to point toward
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. stand — to bear
  16. perch — the fish
  17. face — part of the head
  18. file — a tool
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. file — a document
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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