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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 120 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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. mate — to breed
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. lie — to recline
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. bank — of a river
  7. present — a gift
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. present — there
  10. club — for golf
  11. mate — a friend
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. mate — a partner
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. bank — for money
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. club — for dancing
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. present — the time now
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. club — a group
  24. bank — for money

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