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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: ruler · bass · can · perch · bore · court · lie · last

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. last — final
  4. bass — low music
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. bass — the fish
  7. bore — to tire
  8. lie — to recline
  9. can — to be able to
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. court — of law
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. bore — to drill
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. can — a tin
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. court — of a king
  20. court — for sport
  21. can — a tin
  22. last — to go on
  23. perch — the fish
  24. last — finally

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