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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: drill · perch · craft · hide · ruler · fall

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. fall — the season
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. craft — a skill
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. fall — to drop
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. fall — to drop
  12. craft — boats
  13. perch — the fish
  14. drill — the tool
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. drill — a practice
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. drill — army training

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