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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 120 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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. last — final
  3. perch — the fish
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. board — to get on
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. file — a tool
  8. firm — steady
  9. suit — in cards
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. last — to go on
  12. firm — a company
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. file — a document
  16. file — a line of people
  17. firm — decided
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. board — a committee
  22. last — finally
  23. suit — to fit
  24. temple — side of the head

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