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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. rest — what's left
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. perch — the fish
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. swing — in golf
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. rest — a break
  14. pound — a weight
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. rest — what's left
  18. craft — a skill
  19. craft — boats
  20. vault — a safe
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. swing — to play on

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