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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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. rule — a law
  3. last — finally
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. current — happening now
  6. bark — to shout
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. bore — to drill
  9. current — electric
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. last — final
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. rule — government
  21. bore — to tire
  22. perch — the fish
  23. current — of water
  24. bark — 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