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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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. mine — for digging
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. perch — the fish
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. row — to paddle
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. club — a group
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. club — for golf
  21. club — for dancing
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. lie — to recline

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