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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: ruler · cabinet · perch · row · wound · present · land · nail

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. perch — the fish
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. land — a country
  10. present — the time now
  11. wound — an injury
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. land — to come down
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. present — a gift
  16. land — ground
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. wound — an injury
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. row — to paddle
  23. row — a line
  24. present — there

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