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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
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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: rock · field · pop · ruler · perch · rush · leaves · bay

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. field — for sport
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. pop — music
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. rock — music
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. rush — hurry
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. perch — the fish
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. rock — a stone
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. pop — to visit
  20. field — farmland
  21. field — a subject
  22. pop — soda
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. leaves — lets stay

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