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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. rash — a series
  3. march — the month
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. perch — the fish
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. rash — hasty
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. march — music
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. bear — the animal
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. bat — the animal
  19. bear — the animal
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. march — the month

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