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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: content · cue · lie · court · bore · perch · leaves · nail

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. bore — to drill
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. content — happy
  10. content — the amount
  11. cue — a signal
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. court — for sport
  14. cue — for pool
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. lie — to recline
  17. perch — the fish
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. court — of law
  21. court — of a king
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. cue — a hint
  24. bore — to tire

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