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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. scale — in music
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. rush — hurry
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. bore — to tire
  9. bore — to drill
  10. lean — to bend
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. lean — thin
  15. scale — size or range
  16. row — a line
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. object — a thing
  19. row — to paddle
  20. perch — the fish
  21. bear — the animal
  22. object — to protest
  23. bear — the animal
  24. object — an aim

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