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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 116 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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. club — a group
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. club — for golf
  8. present — there
  9. club — for dancing
  10. bore — to drill
  11. charge — a price
  12. row — to paddle
  13. charge — electricity
  14. row — a line
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. wound — an injury
  17. present — a gift
  18. bore — to tire
  19. wound — an injury
  20. charge — in control
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. pound — a weight
  23. perch — the fish
  24. perch — for a bird

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