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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 120 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: object · spell · tube · pop · perch · bowl · bore · cabinet

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. pop — music
  3. tube — a container
  4. perch — the fish
  5. spell — letters
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. pop — to visit
  11. bore — to tire
  12. bore — to drill
  13. object — a thing
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. object — to protest
  17. tube — the underground
  18. spell — magic
  19. spell — a short time
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. object — an aim
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. pop — soda

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