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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
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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: key · tear · bore · spell · bulb · staff · fan · perch

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. staff — a stick
  4. staff — employees
  5. perch — the fish
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. spell — letters
  8. spell — a short time
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. spell — magic
  11. bulb — for light
  12. tear — to rip
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. key — the most important part
  15. tear — from crying
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. tear — from crying
  18. staff — employees
  19. key — in music
  20. bore — to tire
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. key — for a lock
  24. fan — to cool the air

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