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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 owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. rash — hasty
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. face — part of the head
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. fine — all right
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. chest — a box
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. chest — of your body
  12. rash — a series
  13. saw — the tool
  14. perch — the fish
  15. chest — of your body
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. wax — to grow
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. face — to point toward
  20. face — to confront
  21. fine — high quality
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. saw — the tool

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