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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: wake · tube · perch · rush · rock · saw · bore · mug

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. tube — the underground
  4. mug — a face
  5. wake — a trail
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. tube — a container
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. rush — hurry
  15. mug — a cup
  16. mug — to rob
  17. saw — the tool
  18. perch — the fish
  19. rock — a stone
  20. bore — to drill
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. bore — to tire
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. rock — music

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