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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. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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 drill
  3. chip — to eat
  4. pound — a weight
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. net — in sport
  11. band — a ring
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. band — a music group
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. net — for catching
  16. net — after costs
  17. chip — for betting
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. bore — to tire
  22. perch — the fish
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. pound — for dogs

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