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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. object — a thing
  3. rule — a law
  4. shower — rain
  5. spring — of water
  6. perch — the fish
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. face — to point toward
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. spring — the season
  13. face — part of the head
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. rule — government
  16. object — to protest
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. spring — a coil
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. object — an aim
  23. shower — to wash
  24. face — to confront

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