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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. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. plane — a tool
  4. bore — to drill
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. club — for dancing
  8. perch — the fish
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. track — a path
  12. fine — high quality
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. club — a group
  15. club — for golf
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. track — a song
  20. track — to keep track
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. bore — to tire
  23. fine — all right
  24. plane — in geometry

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