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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. court — of law
  4. court — of a king
  5. rock — music
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. snap — to click
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. rock — a stone
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. pound — a weight
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. perch — the fish
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. rush — hurry
  22. court — for sport
  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