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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 birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. firm — steady
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. perch — the fish
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. firm — a company
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. spring — of water
  10. spring — a coil
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. wound — an injury
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. snap — to click
  15. spring — the season
  16. wound — an injury
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bear — the animal
  19. kid — child
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. firm — decided
  22. kid — to tease
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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