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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: bat · wound · spring · rock · perch · mug · rest · bore

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. bat — the animal
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. spring — the season
  6. rest — what's left
  7. mug — to rob
  8. mug — a cup
  9. bore — to drill
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. rest — a break
  12. wound — an injury
  13. spring — of water
  14. wound — an injury
  15. rest — what's left
  16. rock — music
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. mug — a face
  19. perch — the fish
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. bore — to tire
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. spring — a coil
  24. rock — a stone

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