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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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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. fine — all right
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. perch — the fish
  11. fine — high quality
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. saw — the tool
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. saw — the tool
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. file — a document
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. file — a tool
  23. file — a line of people
  24. rush — hurry

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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