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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.

Make a worksheet

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
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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: rush · trunk · lean · ruler · leaves · toast · mine · perch

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. lean — thin
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. rush — hurry
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. mine — for digging
  20. toast — bread
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. lean — to bend
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. lean — to rest against

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