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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.

Make a worksheet

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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. bore — to drill
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. fork — in a road
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. perch — the fish
  19. scale — size or range
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. bore — to tire
  22. chair — a leader
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. bore — gave birth

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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