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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. perch — the fish
  3. game — a match
  4. file — a line of people
  5. bank — for money
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. file — a tool
  10. pop — to visit
  11. bank — of a river
  12. game — wild animals
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. pop — music
  18. bore — to tire
  19. rock — music
  20. bank — for money
  21. file — a document
  22. rock — a stone
  23. pop — soda
  24. perch — for a bird

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