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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: cap · bore · row · stick · ball · rest · key · perch

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. key — the most important part
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. ball — a dance
  6. cap — a hat
  7. ball — a great time
  8. rest — what's left
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. bore — to tire
  11. row — to paddle
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. row — a line
  14. cap — of ice
  15. key — in music
  16. cap — a lid
  17. perch — the fish
  18. rest — what's left
  19. key — for a lock
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. rest — a break

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