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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. fall — to drop
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. bank — for money
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. clip — a video
  8. bank — of a river
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. clip — for paper
  12. lean — thin
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. lean — to bend
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. perch — the fish
  17. fall — to drop
  18. fork — in a road
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. bank — for money
  23. clip — to cut
  24. fall — the season

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