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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: mark · rule · bat · toast · ruler · lean · perch · track

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. toast — bread
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. rule — a law
  6. track — a song
  7. rule — government
  8. perch — the fish
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. bat — the animal
  12. track — to keep track
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. lean — to bend
  15. mark — a trace
  16. lean — thin
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. mark — a grade
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. mark — to pay attention

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