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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 120 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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. rest — what's left
  5. rest — what's left
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. bass — low music
  8. rest — a break
  9. bulb — for light
  10. ground — a position
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. bore — to tire
  14. ground — the earth
  15. bulb — for light
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. bass — the fish
  22. ground — crushed
  23. perch — the fish
  24. arm — a part of something

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