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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. kick — in football
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. perch — the fish
  6. prune — to trim
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. bore — to drill
  9. prune — to trim
  10. foot — a measure
  11. content — the amount
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. plane — a tool
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. content — happy
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. wake — a trail
  24. wake — before a funeral

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