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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. club — a group
  3. mark — a grade
  4. club — for dancing
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. drill — army training
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. scale — in music
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. club — for golf
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. mark — a trace
  16. drill — a practice
  17. current — electric
  18. current — of water
  19. current — happening now
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. drill — the tool
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. perch — the fish
  24. ruler — for measuring

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