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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 120 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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. key — the most important part
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. lean — to bend
  8. key — for a lock
  9. key — in music
  10. prune — to trim
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. prune — to trim
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. pound — a weight
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. perch — the fish
  19. lean — thin
  20. kick — in football
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. trunk — of a tree

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