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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. track — a song
  5. pop — to visit
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. can — to be able to
  8. can — a tin
  9. pop — music
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. field — a subject
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. perch — the fish
  14. field — farmland
  15. field — for sport
  16. bank — for money
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. can — a tin
  19. bank — for money
  20. track — a path
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. bank — of a river
  23. pop — soda
  24. arm — part of the body

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