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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 120 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: perch · rock · bore · wave · track · snap · lie · cap

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. lie — to recline
  4. rock — a stone
  5. cap — a lid
  6. snap — to click
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. cap — a hat
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. cap — of ice
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. track — a song
  19. track — to keep track
  20. bore — to tire
  21. perch — the fish
  22. track — a path
  23. rock — music
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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