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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. firm — decided
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. bore — to drill
  10. firm — a company
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. tube — the underground
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. perch — the fish
  20. firm — steady
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. tube — a container
  24. plane — a 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