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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 hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. land — ground
  4. ball — a dance
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. perch — the fish
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. land — a country
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. land — to come down
  12. row — to paddle
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. ball — a great time
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. bark — to shout
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. row — a line
  23. fork — in a road
  24. ruler — for measuring

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