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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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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: lash · fork · mate · bore · content · perch · present · fine

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  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. mate — a partner
  2. fork — in a road
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. bore — to tire
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. present — a gift
  7. present — there
  8. perch — the fish
  9. mate — a friend
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. fine — all right
  12. present — the time now
  13. content — happy
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. fine — high quality
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. content — the amount
  21. mate — to breed
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. bore — gave birth
  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