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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: ball · bore · mouse · content · can · perch · snap · key

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. can — a tin
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. key — the most important part
  5. can — to be able to
  6. content — the amount
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. perch — the fish
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. key — in music
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. bore — to tire
  16. ball — a dance
  17. bore — to drill
  18. snap — to click
  19. ball — a great time
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. can — a tin
  23. content — happy
  24. key — for a lock

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