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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 120 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 kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. land — a country
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. scale — in music
  9. land — to come down
  10. firm — decided
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. perch — the fish
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. firm — a company
  21. scale — size or range
  22. land — ground
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. firm — steady

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