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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: trunk · snap · lie · perch · jam · rash · ruler · firm

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. firm — steady
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. snap — to click
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. rash — hasty
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. firm — a company
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. lie — to recline
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. firm — decided
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. perch — the fish
  23. rash — a series
  24. ruler — a monarch

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