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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  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. ruler — for measuring
  2. last — to go on
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. last — final
  6. bear — the animal
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. bear — the animal
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. perch — the fish
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. rule — a law
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. cue — a hint
  16. rule — government
  17. cue — a signal
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. fine — high quality
  21. cue — for pool
  22. last — finally
  23. fine — all right
  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