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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. perch — the fish
  3. kid — to tease
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. suit — to fit
  7. suit — clothes
  8. stem — to come from
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. pop — to visit
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. pop — music
  17. kid — child
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. suit — in cards
  21. mark — a grade
  22. mark — a trace
  23. pop — soda
  24. deal — to handle

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