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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.

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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: leaves · cap · perch · pitcher · foot · bore · suit · mark

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. suit — clothes
  7. bore — to drill
  8. suit — in cards
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. perch — the fish
  11. cap — of ice
  12. suit — to fit
  13. foot — a measure
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. mark — a grade
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. cap — a lid
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. mark — a trace
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. cap — a hat
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. foot — part of the body

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