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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: scale · perch · mouse · bore · tear · pass · last · plane

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. tear — from crying
  4. tear — to rip
  5. scale — size or range
  6. last — to go on
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. last — finally
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. scale — in music
  14. plane — a tool
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. last — final
  18. pass — a permit
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. tear — from crying
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. perch — the fish
  24. bore — to tire

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