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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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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: ball · saw · ruler · file · spell · kick · perch · bark

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. spell — a short time
  3. file — a tool
  4. perch — the fish
  5. saw — the tool
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. spell — magic
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. bark — to shout
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. kick — in football
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. saw — the tool
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. file — a line of people
  21. spell — letters
  22. ball — a dance
  23. ball — a great time
  24. file — a document

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