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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 120 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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. cap — a lid
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. cap — of ice
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. perch — the fish
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. club — for dancing
  12. club — a group
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. key — in music
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. key — the most important part
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. club — for golf
  20. key — for a lock
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. cap — a hat
  23. lean — to bend
  24. ruler — a monarch

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