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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.

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: fine · tube · bore · squash · rock · game · perch · dip

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. squash — to crush
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. bore — to tire
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. game — wild animals
  11. perch — the fish
  12. squash — the sport
  13. tube — a container
  14. dip — to sink
  15. rock — music
  16. rock — a stone
  17. bore — to drill
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. tube — the underground
  21. fine — high quality
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. fine — all right
  24. game — a kind of play

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