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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. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. bat — the animal
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. sharp — clever
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. club — a group
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. chest — of your body
  12. club — for golf
  13. chest — a box
  14. season — in sport
  15. track — a path
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. perch — the fish
  18. track — a song
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. track — to keep track
  21. chest — of your body
  22. season — of the year
  23. club — for dancing
  24. bat — for baseball

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