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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: stand · bowl · perch · drill · bore · hide · firm · dip

  1. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. drill — army training
  4. drill — a practice
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. firm — a company
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. drill — the tool
  10. bore — to tire
  11. bore — to drill
  12. firm — decided
  13. dip — to sink
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. perch — the fish
  16. stand — to bear
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. firm — steady
  24. perch — for a bird

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