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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. plane — a tool
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. prune — to trim
  9. staff — employees
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. sharp — clever
  12. bore — to drill
  13. staff — employees
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. suit — clothes
  16. perch — the fish
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. staff — a stick
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. prune — to trim
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. bore — to tire
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. suit — to fit

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