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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. mug — to rob
  3. spell — letters
  4. row — a line
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. perch — the fish
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. file — a line of people
  9. spell — magic
  10. spell — a short time
  11. file — a document
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. file — a tool
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. row — to paddle
  18. mug — a cup
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. stem — to come from
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. mug — a face

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