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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 116 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: prune · face · perch · fine · game · squash · ruler · wake

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. game — wild animals
  4. squash — to crush
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. face — to point toward
  8. prune — to trim
  9. wake — a trail
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. face — to confront
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. prune — to trim
  15. squash — the sport
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. game — a match
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. fine — high quality
  21. fine — all right
  22. face — part of the head
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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