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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: cue · perch · tube · bore · rest · dip · object · sharp

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. object — to protest
  3. perch — the fish
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. rest — a break
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. bore — to drill
  9. cue — a signal
  10. cue — a hint
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. rest — what's left
  13. cue — for pool
  14. tube — a container
  15. tube — the underground
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. rest — what's left
  18. bore — to tire
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. object — a thing
  21. sharp — clever
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. dip — to sink

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