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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. mate — a friend
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. bore — to drill
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. last — final
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. face — part of the head
  12. face — to confront
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. perch — the fish
  15. object — an aim
  16. object — to protest
  17. bore — to tire
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. last — finally
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. last — to go on
  22. mate — a partner
  23. object — a thing
  24. mate — to breed

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