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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 124 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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. kick — in football
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. perch — the fish
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. rest — what's left
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. rest — a break
  22. rest — what's left
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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