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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. rest — what's left
  3. spring — a coil
  4. mark — a grade
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. mark — a trace
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. spring — the season
  12. spring — of water
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. rest — a break
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. perch — the fish
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. rest — what's left
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. perch — for a bird

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