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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 124 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 owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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. rock — a stone
  4. rock — music
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. scale — in music
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. scale — size or range
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. perch — the fish
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. row — to paddle
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. pitch — completely
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. row — a line
  24. rock — to move gently

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