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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: drill · nail · dip · bore · scale · stock · bear · perch

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. drill — the tool
  3. stock — shares
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. perch — the fish
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. bore — to drill
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. bear — the animal
  14. scale — in music
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. drill — a practice
  18. stock — goods
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. drill — army training
  21. bear — the animal
  22. scale — size or range
  23. dip — to sink
  24. nail — for a hammer

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