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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. spell — magic
  3. suit — clothes
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. suit — in cards
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. pit — a hole
  8. suit — to fit
  9. perch — the fish
  10. spell — a short time
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. craft — boats
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. spell — letters
  20. bark — to shout
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. pit — in a race
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. craft — a skill

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