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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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468
Word bank
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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. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. wound — an injury
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. perch — the fish
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. wound — an injury
  9. stand — to bear
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. cell — a phone
  14. pass — a permit
  15. toast — bread
  16. rash — hasty
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. cell — in biology
  20. rash — a series
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. toast — the most admired

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