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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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. bore — to drill
  4. perch — the fish
  5. chest — of your body
  6. chest — of your body
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. rest — a break
  10. rest — what's left
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. rash — a series
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. bore — to tire
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. rest — what's left
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. chest — a box
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. rash — hasty
  24. safe — a strongbox

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