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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.

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: capital · perch · season · sharp · rush · ruler · mate · stick

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. mate — a partner
  3. rush — hurry
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. sharp — clever
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. perch — the fish
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. capital — money
  11. capital — a city
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. mate — a friend
  16. mate — to breed
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. season — of the year
  21. season — in sport
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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