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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. craft — a skill
  5. chest — of your body
  6. bore — to tire
  7. perch — the fish
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. craft — boats
  13. staff — employees
  14. chest — a box
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. staff — a stick
  20. staff — employees
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. bore — to drill
  23. chest — of your body
  24. ruler — for measuring

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