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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. wake — a trail
  4. perch — the fish
  5. fine — high quality
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. pop — to visit
  8. fine — all right
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. bore — to drill
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. bore — to tire
  15. pop — music
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. pop — soda
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. bark — to shout
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. rash — hasty

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