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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.

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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. rule — government
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. bore — to tire
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. wax — to grow
  11. pit — a hole
  12. perch — the fish
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. rule — a law
  18. spell — a short time
  19. board — to get on
  20. spell — letters
  21. pit — in a race
  22. spell — magic
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. board — a committee

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