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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: mug · nail · bowl · bore · present · firm · root · perch

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. mug — a cup
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. firm — steady
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. root — of a word
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. perch — the fish
  9. root — the cause
  10. mug — to rob
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. firm — a company
  13. mug — a face
  14. firm — decided
  15. root — of a plant
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. present — there
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. present — the time now
  21. present — a gift
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. bore — to drill

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