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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. scale — in music
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. sharp — clever
  7. rash — hasty
  8. bound — certain
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. perch — the fish
  13. rash — a series
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. scale — size or range
  16. bore — to drill
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. stock — shares
  20. bore — to tire
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. bound — obliged
  23. kick — in football
  24. stock — goods

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