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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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468
Word bank
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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. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. suit — clothes
  3. cell — in biology
  4. bore — to tire
  5. wind — moving air
  6. object — to protest
  7. suit — to fit
  8. suit — in cards
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. bore — to drill
  13. object — an aim
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. bark — to shout
  16. wind — moving air
  17. object — a thing
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. perch — the fish
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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