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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: racket · lean · perch · drill · pitcher · firm · bowl · bore

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  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. racket — for tennis
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. lean — to bend
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. drill — the tool
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. firm — a company
  12. drill — army training
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. bore — to tire
  15. firm — steady
  16. drill — a practice
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. firm — decided
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. perch — the fish
  22. lean — thin
  23. perch — for a bird
  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