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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 owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. spell — magic
  4. spell — a short time
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. bore — to drill
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. bore — to tire
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. track — to keep track
  11. perch — the fish
  12. suit — in cards
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. content — the amount
  15. content — happy
  16. suit — clothes
  17. spell — letters
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. track — a song
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. suit — to fit
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. track — a path
  24. perch — for a bird

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