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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. bore — to tire
  4. present — the time now
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. mark — a grade
  7. fine — high quality
  8. row — to paddle
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. content — happy
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. content — the amount
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. present — a gift
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. fine — all right
  20. perch — the fish
  21. present — there
  22. bore — to drill
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. row — a line

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