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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 120 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: field · rash · perch · nail · ruler · pop · board · wave

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. perch — the fish
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. rash — hasty
  8. rash — a series
  9. board — to get on
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. board — a committee
  12. field — farmland
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. pop — to visit
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. pop — soda
  17. field — for sport
  18. field — a subject
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. nail — for a hammer

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