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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. tear — from crying
  3. content — happy
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. mate — a friend
  7. club — a group
  8. club — for golf
  9. mate — a partner
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. tear — to rip
  13. tear — from crying
  14. club — for dancing
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. perch — the fish
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. mate — to breed
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. content — the amount
  24. perch — for a bird

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