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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. bound — certain
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. fall — to drop
  7. bound — tied together
  8. rash — a series
  9. rash — hasty
  10. fall — to drop
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. bore — to drill
  16. bound — obliged
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. fall — the season
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. perch — the fish

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