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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: scale · cap · bore · pound · fine · leaves · press · perch

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. scale — size or range
  3. press — a publisher
  4. pound — a weight
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. cap — a lid
  7. scale — in music
  8. cap — a hat
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. fine — all right
  16. perch — the fish
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. press — newspapers
  19. bore — to drill
  20. press — to push
  21. fine — high quality
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. cap — of ice
  24. bore — to tire

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