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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. bore — to drill
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. rock — a stone
  6. chip — for betting
  7. perch — the fish
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. bat — the animal
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. bore — to tire
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. chip — to eat
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. rock — music
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. stand — to bear

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