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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. court — for sport
  6. swing — to play on
  7. swing — music
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. charge — in control
  12. chip — for betting
  13. charge — electricity
  14. court — of law
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. charge — a price
  17. lean — thin
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. swing — in golf
  20. court — of a king
  21. chip — to eat
  22. stem — to come from
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. lean — to bend

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