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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. deal — to handle
  6. kick — in football
  7. prune — to trim
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. prune — to trim
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. field — a subject
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. field — for sport
  15. field — farmland
  16. dip — to sink
  17. staff — a stick
  18. staff — employees
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. perch — the fish
  23. staff — employees
  24. prune — the fruit

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