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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. bore — to tire
  3. fall — to drop
  4. craft — boats
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. craft — a skill
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. game — wild animals
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. fall — to drop
  14. perch — the fish
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. bear — the animal
  17. fall — the season
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. scale — size or range
  23. game — a match
  24. scale — in music

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