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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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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 party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. current — of water
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. current — happening now
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. rest — what's left
  8. prune — to trim
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. rash — hasty
  16. rest — what's left
  17. current — electric
  18. rest — a break
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. perch — the fish
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. prune — to trim

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