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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: cabinet · lean · perch · pit · ruler · rush · racket · board

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. perch — the fish
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. pit — a hole
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. lean — thin
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. board — to get on
  20. pit — in a race
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. rush — hurry
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. board — a committee

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