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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: file · ruler · perch · scale · lean · bound · object · straw

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. scale — in music
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. object — to protest
  5. object — an aim
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. file — a tool
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. object — a thing
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. lean — thin
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. file — a document
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. perch — the fish
  19. bound — certain
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. bound — obliged
  22. bound — tied together
  23. scale — size or range
  24. lean — to bend

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