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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. land — to come down
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. rock — music
  8. perch — the fish
  9. bore — to drill
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. clip — to cut
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. land — a country
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. bore — to tire
  19. clip — a video
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. land — ground
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. clip — for paper

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