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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: perch · lean · dip · bore · row · ball · foot · rash

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. row — to paddle
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. foot — a measure
  6. lean — thin
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. ball — a dance
  9. dip — to sink
  10. bore — to drill
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. rash — hasty
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. rash — a series
  15. ball — a great time
  16. perch — the fish
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. bore — to tire
  21. lean — to bend
  22. row — a line
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. bore — gave birth

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