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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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468
Word bank
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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. swing — to play on
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. charge — a price
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. pass — a permit
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. perch — the fish
  14. charge — in control
  15. swing — in golf
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. swing — music
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. charge — electricity

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