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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. bear — the animal
  5. track — to keep track
  6. mate — a partner
  7. lie — to recline
  8. perch — the fish
  9. mug — a cup
  10. bore — to drill
  11. board — a committee
  12. track — a path
  13. board — to get on
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. mug — to rob
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. bore — to tire
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. track — a song
  22. mate — a friend
  23. mate — to breed
  24. lie — an untruth

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