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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: ground · season · suit · perch · ruler · last · scale · rock

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  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. perch — the fish
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. rock — a stone
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. season — in sport
  6. suit — clothes
  7. ground — a position
  8. season — of the year
  9. last — final
  10. ground — crushed
  11. last — finally
  12. suit — to fit
  13. scale — size or range
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. ground — the earth
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. rock — music
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. last — to go on
  22. suit — in cards
  23. scale — in music
  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