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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 116 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: root · rash · present · bore · key · perch · fine · fall

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. bore — to drill
  4. key — the most important part
  5. fine — all right
  6. present — the time now
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. key — for a lock
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. present — a gift
  11. key — in music
  12. present — there
  13. root — of a plant
  14. bore — to tire
  15. fall — to drop
  16. root — the cause
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. rash — a series
  19. fall — the season
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. perch — the fish
  22. rash — hasty
  23. root — of a word
  24. fine — high quality

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