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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 116 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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. lean — thin
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. object — a thing
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. lean — to bend
  9. bass — the fish
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. can — to be able to
  12. object — an aim
  13. can — a tin
  14. bass — low music
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. lie — to recline
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. rash — hasty
  21. rash — a series
  22. perch — the fish
  23. object — to protest
  24. can — a tin

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