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

Word bank: bore · stick · season · present · key · kid · deal · perch

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. present — the time now
  5. key — in music
  6. deal — to handle
  7. perch — the fish
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. key — for a lock
  14. season — in sport
  15. present — there
  16. present — a gift
  17. kid — child
  18. kid — to tease
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. bore — to tire
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. bore — to drill
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. key — the most important part

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