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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. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. file — a document
  3. current — happening now
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. lean — thin
  6. bore — to drill
  7. press — a publisher
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. toast — bread
  13. kick — in football
  14. file — a tool
  15. file — a line of people
  16. press — to push
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. press — newspapers
  19. bore — to tire
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. perch — the fish
  22. current — of water
  23. current — electric
  24. lean — to bend

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