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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. mine — for digging
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. perch — the fish
  7. face — to point toward
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. clip — for paper
  10. clip — to cut
  11. clip — a video
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. face — part of the head
  14. ball — a dance
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. ball — a great time
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. face — to confront
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. wave — with your hand

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