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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. present — there
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. rush — hurry
  5. land — to come down
  6. stand — to bear
  7. perch — the fish
  8. land — a country
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. land — ground
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. track — to keep track
  15. present — a gift
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. present — the time now
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. track — a path
  22. track — a song
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. rush — a thrill

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