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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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. present — a gift
  4. present — there
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. rush — hurry
  8. club — for dancing
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. perch — the fish
  11. rest — what's left
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. club — for golf
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. stand — to bear
  17. rest — what's left
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. present — the time now
  24. rest — a break

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