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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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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: bore · pop · tear · wake · perch · shower · deal · safe

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. tear — from crying
  3. shower — rain
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. wake — a trail
  6. pop — to visit
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. shower — to wash
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. deal — to handle
  11. tear — from crying
  12. perch — the fish
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. bore — to drill
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. pop — soda
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. bore — to tire
  21. tear — to rip
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. pop — music
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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