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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. march — the month
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. march — the month
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. rest — a break
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. rest — what's left
  14. dip — to sink
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. spring — a coil
  17. march — music
  18. spring — the season
  19. rest — what's left
  20. present — there
  21. spring — of water
  22. perch — the fish
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. present — a gift

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