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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 124 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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. stand — to bear
  3. bore — to drill
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. stock — shares
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. perch — the fish
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. swing — to play on
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. swing — in golf
  19. swing — music
  20. stock — goods
  21. bore — to tire
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. plane — a tool

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