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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. cap — a hat
  5. perch — the fish
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. snap — to click
  9. present — there
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. wind — moving air
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. cap — of ice
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. wind — moving air
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. present — the time now
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. cap — a lid
  24. coach — a trainer

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