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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 116 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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468
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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  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. cell — a phone
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. cue — a hint
  5. mate — to breed
  6. cue — a signal
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. cue — for pool
  11. swing — to play on
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. swing — in golf
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. mate — a friend
  19. swing — music
  20. perch — the fish
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. cell — in biology
  23. mate — a partner
  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