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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 116 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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. bore — to drill
  3. object — a thing
  4. bore — to tire
  5. perch — the fish
  6. object — to protest
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. snap — to click
  10. scale — size or range
  11. pass — a permit
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. object — an aim
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. charge — in control
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. chip — for betting
  19. chip — to eat
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. charge — electricity
  22. scale — in music
  23. charge — a price
  24. perch — for a bird

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