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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. pop — soda
  5. pop — to visit
  6. current — electric
  7. court — of a king
  8. hand — in cards
  9. ground — the earth
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. current — happening now
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. court — for sport
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. ground — a position
  17. ground — crushed
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. perch — the fish
  20. court — of law
  21. pop — music
  22. hand — help
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. current — of water

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