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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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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: perch · dip · capital · rock · wave · bore · mouse · racket

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. dip — to sink
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. capital — money
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. bore — to drill
  11. perch — the fish
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. rock — a stone
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. capital — a city
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. rock — music
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. bore — to tire

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