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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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. cap — a lid
  4. perch — the fish
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. spell — a short time
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. file — a line of people
  11. spell — letters
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. bound — obliged
  15. cap — a hat
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. bound — certain
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. bound — tied together
  20. file — a document
  21. vault — a safe
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. cap — of ice
  24. spell — magic

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