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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: cap · trunk · mouse · toast · fan · perch · snap · ruler

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. perch — the fish
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. toast — bread
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. cap — of ice
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. cap — a lid
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. cap — a hat
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. snap — to click
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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