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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: perch · swing · ruler · bank · lean · ball · court · present

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. swing — music
  4. perch — the fish
  5. court — of law
  6. court — for sport
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. swing — in golf
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. present — a gift
  12. present — there
  13. present — the time now
  14. bank — for money
  15. court — of a king
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. ball — a great time
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. ball — a dance
  20. bank — for money
  21. swing — to play on
  22. bank — of a river
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. lean — thin

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