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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. present — a gift
  9. bark — to shout
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. perch — the fish
  15. present — the time now
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. wake — a trail
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. kick — in football
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. plane — a tool
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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