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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. rock — music
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. bark — to shout
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. race — a contest
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. suit — in cards
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. race — the arms race
  15. rock — a stone
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. race — humankind
  18. bore — to drill
  19. suit — clothes
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. suit — to fit
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. perch — the fish

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