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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. firm — decided
  3. rock — a stone
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. pop — music
  6. shower — rain
  7. firm — a company
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. bore — to tire
  10. pop — to visit
  11. pit — a hole
  12. rock — music
  13. shower — to wash
  14. pop — soda
  15. bore — to drill
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. perch — the fish
  20. firm — steady
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. pit — in a race
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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