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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. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. mine — for digging
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. rush — hurry
  16. perch — the fish
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. pound — a weight

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