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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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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: bore · key · toast · bound · cap · row · file · perch

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. cap — of ice
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. row — to paddle
  5. row — a line
  6. file — a tool
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. bound — tied together
  9. bound — certain
  10. key — for a lock
  11. cap — a hat
  12. bore — to tire
  13. toast — bread
  14. perch — the fish
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. key — in music
  17. key — the most important part
  18. cap — a lid
  19. bound — obliged
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. bore — to drill
  23. file — a document
  24. perch — for a bird

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