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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: roll · bark · mouse · pitcher · rule · ruler · fan · perch

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. roll — a cake
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. bark — to shout
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. roll — a list
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. rule — government
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. rule — a law
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. perch — the fish
  24. pitcher — a jug

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