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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.

Words on the sheet
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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. suit — in cards
  3. cap — of ice
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. cap — a lid
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. bore — to tire
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. kick — in football
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. cap — a hat
  12. perch — the fish
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. content — happy
  15. stand — to bear
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. fork — in a road
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. bore — to drill
  22. suit — to fit
  23. suit — clothes
  24. content — videos and posts

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