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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: perch · cabinet · content · pit · lash · bear · bore · foot

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. content — happy
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. pit — in a race
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. foot — a measure
  8. content — the amount
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. pit — a hole
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. bear — the animal
  14. perch — the fish
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. bore — to tire
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. bore — to drill
  22. bear — the animal
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. lash — to lash out

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