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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.

Make a worksheet

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: dip · perch · lean · date · bore · saw · ball · kick

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. lean — to bend
  3. dip — to sink
  4. saw — the tool
  5. date — the fruit
  6. lean — thin
  7. bore — to drill
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. kick — in football
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. ball — a dance
  15. perch — the fish
  16. ball — a great time
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. saw — the tool
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. bore — to tire
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. kick — a thrill

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