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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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. perch — the fish
  3. drill — the tool
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. cue — a signal
  7. mark — a grade
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. court — of a king
  10. mark — a trace
  11. bass — low music
  12. court — for sport
  13. drill — a practice
  14. cue — for pool
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. court — of law
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. cue — a hint
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. bass — 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