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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 124 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
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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: toast · bat · foot · firm · ball · perch · scale · bore

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. foot — a measure
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. toast — bread
  6. scale — in music
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. ball — a great time
  9. perch — the fish
  10. scale — size or range
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. ball — a dance
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. firm — steady
  16. bore — to drill
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. bat — the animal
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. bore — to tire
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. firm — a company
  24. firm — decided

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