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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: ruler · rush · swing · firm · perch · wound · mouse · foot

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. swing — in golf
  4. foot — a measure
  5. swing — to play on
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. firm — a company
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. wound — an injury
  11. firm — steady
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. perch — the fish
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. wound — an injury
  20. swing — music
  21. rush — hurry
  22. firm — decided
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. mouse — the animal

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