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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. present — the time now
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. rock — music
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. content — the amount
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. present — a gift
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. bore — to drill
  15. rock — a stone
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. content — happy
  18. date — the fruit
  19. bore — to tire
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. perch — the fish
  24. date — on the calendar

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