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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. game — a match
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. suit — clothes
  5. shower — rain
  6. perch — the fish
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. branch — a division
  9. rash — hasty
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. suit — in cards
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. game — wild animals
  15. suit — to fit
  16. mark — a trace
  17. mark — a grade
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. rash — a series
  22. shower — to wash
  23. bore — to tire
  24. branch — of a tree

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