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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. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. foot — a measure
  5. stem — to come from
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. current — happening now
  9. current — of water
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. bank — for money
  13. bank — for money
  14. band — a music group
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. bank — of a river
  20. band — a ring
  21. current — electric
  22. perch — the fish
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. stem — a stem cell

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