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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. last — finally
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. rush — hurry
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. spell — a short time
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. last — final
  15. spell — letters
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. last — to go on
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. spell — magic
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. temple — a place of worship

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