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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 120 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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. track — to keep track
  4. track — a song
  5. spell — letters
  6. wake — a trail
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. spell — a short time
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. perch — the fish
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. track — a path
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. bore — to tire
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. spell — magic

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