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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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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: row · perch · band · firm · kid · mug · bore · toast

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. perch — the fish
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. kid — child
  5. bore — to drill
  6. row — a line
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. toast — bread
  9. band — a music group
  10. mug — a cup
  11. mug — to rob
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. firm — steady
  14. kid — to tease
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. band — a ring
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. bore — to tire
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. mug — a face
  21. row — to paddle
  22. firm — decided
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. firm — a company

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