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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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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: perch · ruler · mouse · ground · vault · fan · spring · wound

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. ground — a position
  3. ground — the earth
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. spring — the season
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. vault — a safe
  10. wound — an injury
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. spring — a coil
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. spring — of water
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. wound — an injury
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. ground — crushed
  24. ruler — for measuring

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