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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: bat · stand · bore · roll · suit · perch · craft · face

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. bore — to drill
  3. suit — clothes
  4. face — to point toward
  5. face — to confront
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. bat — the animal
  10. bore — to tire
  11. craft — a skill
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. roll — a list
  14. suit — in cards
  15. stand — to bear
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. roll — a cake
  19. suit — to fit
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. craft — boats
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. face — part of the head
  24. perch — the fish

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