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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. march — the month
  3. march — music
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. track — to keep track
  8. track — a path
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. track — a song
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. lean — thin
  16. charge — a price
  17. march — the month
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. charge — in control
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. lean — to bend
  23. perch — the fish
  24. charge — electricity

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