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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: wind · leaves · rock · perch · lie · file · bore · racket

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. bore — to drill
  3. file — a line of people
  4. rock — a stone
  5. lie — to recline
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. wind — moving air
  8. bore — to tire
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. rock — music
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. wind — moving air
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. perch — the fish
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. file — a tool
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. file — a document
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. perch — for a bird

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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