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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: root · kick · ruler · fine · chair · swing · fan · perch

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. fine — all right
  4. perch — the fish
  5. swing — in golf
  6. fine — high quality
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. swing — to play on
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. kick — in football
  12. chair — a leader
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. swing — music
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. root — of a word
  19. root — of a plant
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. root — the cause
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. perch — for a bird

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