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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  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. bore — to tire
  2. field — farmland
  3. key — for a lock
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. staff — a stick
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. perch — the fish
  9. last — finally
  10. key — in music
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. bore — to drill
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. key — the most important part
  15. last — final
  16. last — to go on
  17. staff — employees
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. field — a subject
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. field — for sport
  23. staff — employees
  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