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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
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: bore · suit · perch · mark · bulb · press · kick · scale

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. bulb — for light
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. bore — to tire
  7. suit — clothes
  8. suit — to fit
  9. bore — to drill
  10. scale — in music
  11. press — a publisher
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. perch — the fish
  14. scale — size or range
  15. suit — in cards
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. kick — in football
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. press — to push
  21. bulb — for light
  22. mark — a grade
  23. press — newspapers
  24. mark — a trace

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