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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.

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: pitcher · spring · perch · leaves · ruler · wave · lean · squash

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. lean — thin
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. squash — to crush
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. perch — the fish
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. squash — the sport
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. lean — to bend
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. spring — a coil
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. spring — of water
  21. spring — the season
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. leaves — lets stay

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