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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. tube — a container
  5. bore — to drill
  6. sharp — clever
  7. present — a gift
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. tube — the underground
  10. suit — to fit
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. perch — the fish
  15. suit — in cards
  16. bore — to tire
  17. present — the time now
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. pound — a weight
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. suit — clothes
  22. present — there
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. saw — the tool

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