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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: rock · ground · rule · ruler · perch · chest · stand · bowl

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. chest — a box
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. rule — government
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. rock — a stone
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. rule — a law
  11. chest — of your body
  12. ground — crushed
  13. rock — music
  14. perch — the fish
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. ground — a position
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. ground — the earth
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. stand — to bear
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. chest — of your body
  24. bowl — to roll

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