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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: land · ruler · rest · perch · stick · pass · lash · mouse

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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. mouse — the animal
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. land — a country
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. pass — a permit
  9. land — to come down
  10. perch — the fish
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. rest — what's left
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. rest — a break
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. rest — what's left
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. land — ground
  24. ruler — for measuring

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