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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: ruler · bear · swing · game · stand · lash · perch · trunk

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. swing — to play on
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. perch — the fish
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. game — wild animals
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. stand — to bear
  17. swing — in golf
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. swing — music
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. bear — the animal
  24. game — a match

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