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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: court · wave · pound · can · bore · face · perch · bulb

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. can — to be able to
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. court — of a king
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. face — to confront
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. bore — to tire
  9. pound — a weight
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. perch — the fish
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bulb — for light
  15. court — for sport
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. court — of law
  18. face — to point toward
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. bore — to drill
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. can — a tin
  23. can — a tin
  24. face — part of the head

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