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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 116 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: pop · pitch · perch · board · ruler · bore · tear · spring

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. board — to get on
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. pitch — completely
  7. board — a committee
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. bore — to drill
  10. bore — to tire
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. perch — the fish
  13. tear — from crying
  14. tear — from crying
  15. tear — to rip
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. pop — soda
  18. pop — music
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. spring — the season
  21. spring — a coil
  22. pop — to visit
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. spring — of water

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