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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.

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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. shower — rain
  5. craft — a skill
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. craft — boats
  12. perch — the fish
  13. saw — the tool
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. kick — in football
  16. shower — to wash
  17. capital — money
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. capital — a city
  23. saw — the tool
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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