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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. rest — a break
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. scale — in music
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. track — to keep track
  7. scale — size or range
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. spell — letters
  10. spell — a short time
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. track — a song
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. track — a path
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. spell — magic
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. perch — the fish
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. fork — in a road
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. rest — what's left

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