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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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Word bank
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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 birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. land — ground
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. land — a country
  8. land — to come down
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bear — the animal
  11. fine — high quality
  12. perch — the fish
  13. wind — moving air
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. fine — all right
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. deal — to handle
  21. wind — moving air
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. mouse — for a computer

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