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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.

Make a worksheet

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: kick · chest · can · perch · bowl · ball · current · bore

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. chest — of your body
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. current — electric
  8. can — to be able to
  9. bore — to drill
  10. perch — the fish
  11. can — a tin
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. can — a tin
  14. ball — a dance
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. bore — to tire
  17. current — of water
  18. kick — in football
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. chest — of your body
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. current — happening now
  23. chest — a box
  24. ball — a great time

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