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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 120 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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: perch · ruler · bowl · scale · pit · kid

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. pit — in a race
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. kid — child
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. pit — a hole
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. perch — the fish
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. scale — in music
  18. kid — to tease

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