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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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. mark — a trace
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. staff — a stick
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. rock — a stone
  9. staff — employees
  10. staff — employees
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. mark — a grade
  14. hand — help
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. hand — in cards
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. rock — music
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. perch — the fish
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. rock — to move gently

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