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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. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. cue — a hint
  3. perch — the fish
  4. band — a ring
  5. suit — clothes
  6. suit — to fit
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. bore — to drill
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. drill — army training
  13. cue — a signal
  14. drill — the tool
  15. cue — for pool
  16. band — a music group
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. suit — in cards
  20. drill — a practice
  21. bore — to tire
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. nail — for a hammer

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