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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 120 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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. last — to go on
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. last — final
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. rest — what's left
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. rest — a break
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. bass — the fish
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. bass — low music
  19. rest — what's left
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. last — finally
  22. mine — for digging
  23. perch — the fish
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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