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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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. The water is too ________________.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. perch — the fish
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bore — to drill
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. bear — the animal
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. stem — to come from
  10. cold — an illness
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. cold — the Cold War
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. club — for golf
  16. cold — not warm
  17. bore — to tire
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. lie — to recline
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. club — for dancing

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