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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 116 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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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 · hide · bore · perch · safe · bowl · pound · pitch

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. perch — the fish
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. pitch — completely
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. key — for a lock
  9. key — in music
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. bore — to drill
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. key — the most important part
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. pound — a weight
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. safe — a strongbox

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