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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 people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. mug — to rob
  4. ball — a dance
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. track — to keep track
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. mug — a cup
  12. track — a song
  13. lie — to recline
  14. dip — to sink
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. track — a path
  18. perch — the fish
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. mug — a face
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. ball — a great time
  24. pitcher — a jug

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