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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. ball — a dance
  3. ball — a great time
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. bear — the animal
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. season — in sport
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. bear — the animal
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. season — of the year
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. perch — the fish
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. nail — on a finger

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