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

Word bank: suit · cap · ruler · fall · perch · rule

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. cap — a lid
  4. suit — in cards
  5. cap — a hat
  6. rule — a law
  7. perch — the fish
  8. suit — clothes
  9. cap — of ice
  10. suit — to fit
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. fall — the season
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. rule — government
  16. fall — to drop
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. fall — to drop

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