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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 owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. row — to paddle
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. board — to get on
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. pit — in a race
  10. row — a line
  11. bore — to drill
  12. degree — temperature
  13. perch — the fish
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. degree — an amount
  16. fork — in a road
  17. board — a committee
  18. degree — from a university
  19. season — in sport
  20. pit — a hole
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. bore — to tire
  24. season — of the year

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