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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. kick — in football
  3. bore — to tire
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. pitch — completely
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. ground — the earth
  10. perch — the fish
  11. bore — to drill
  12. mug — a cup
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. ground — a position
  18. ground — crushed
  19. mug — a face
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. rash — a series
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. rash — hasty

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