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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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. kid — to tease
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. charge — in control
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. kid — child
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. stand — to bear
  13. charge — electricity
  14. board — a committee
  15. charge — a price
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. file — a document
  19. board — to get on
  20. file — a line of people
  21. perch — the fish
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. perch — for a bird

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