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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. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. toast — bread
  5. deal — to handle
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. bark — to shout
  14. land — ground
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. land — a country
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. season — of the year
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. season — in sport
  23. land — to come down
  24. perch — the fish

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