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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. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. key — in music
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. perch — the fish
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. tube — a container
  11. lie — to recline
  12. march — the month
  13. saw — the tool
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. key — the most important part
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. tube — the underground
  19. saw — the tool
  20. march — the month
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. march — music
  24. key — for a lock

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