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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: mate · foot · cell · cabinet · perch · march · bore · shower

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. march — music
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. foot — a measure
  10. cell — a phone
  11. shower — rain
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. march — the month
  14. mate — to breed
  15. bore — to tire
  16. mate — a partner
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. shower — to wash
  19. mate — a friend
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. cell — in biology
  22. march — the month
  23. perch — the fish
  24. bore — to drill

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