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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: lie · rock · degree · bore · fall · nail · pitcher · perch

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. bore — to drill
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. fall — the season
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. rock — music
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. degree — from a university
  14. degree — an amount
  15. fall — to drop
  16. fall — to drop
  17. perch — the fish
  18. rock — a stone
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. bore — to tire
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. degree — temperature
  23. lie — to recline
  24. rock — to move gently

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