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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. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. rock — music
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. rock — a stone
  7. race — the arms race
  8. lie — to recline
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. race — a contest
  14. ball — a dance
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. shower — rain
  18. perch — the fish
  19. shower — to wash
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. wax — to grow
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. race — humankind
  24. ball — a great time

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