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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 birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. bore — to tire
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. spring — of water
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. perch — the fish
  8. spring — a coil
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. rock — a stone
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. rock — music
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. track — a song
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. track — to keep track
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. bore — to drill
  23. track — a path
  24. spring — the season

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