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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. saw — the tool
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. perch — the fish
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. stand — to bear
  12. object — an aim
  13. object — a thing
  14. saw — the tool
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. row — to paddle
  19. swing — to play on
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. object — to protest
  22. row — a line
  23. swing — in golf
  24. swing — music

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