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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. mark — a trace
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. bore — to tire
  11. present — the time now
  12. perch — the fish
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. mark — a grade
  16. present — there
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. bore — to drill
  21. present — a gift
  22. shower — to wash
  23. shower — rain
  24. scale — size or range

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