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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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. land — a country
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. rest — a break
  6. land — ground
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. ball — a great time
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. ball — a dance
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. rest — what's left
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. perch — the fish
  17. rest — what's left
  18. mark — a trace
  19. mark — a grade
  20. prune — to trim
  21. prune — to trim
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. land — to come down

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