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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: rule · object · drill · hide · perch · mark · ball · can

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. can — a tin
  5. object — a thing
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. ball — a great time
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. mark — a grade
  10. perch — the fish
  11. drill — the tool
  12. can — a tin
  13. rule — a law
  14. can — to be able to
  15. object — an aim
  16. drill — a practice
  17. drill — army training
  18. rule — government
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. object — to protest
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. mark — a trace

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