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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
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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: straw · rule · perch · can · rest · season · ruler · ball

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  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. ball — a great time
  2. rest — a break
  3. can — a tin
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. season — of the year
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. season — in sport
  13. can — a tin
  14. rest — what's left
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. can — to be able to
  17. rest — what's left
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. rule — government
  21. ball — a dance
  22. perch — the fish
  23. rule — a law
  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