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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: file · rush · perch · arm · object · bore · calf · rash

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. bore — to drill
  3. object — an aim
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. rash — hasty
  7. bore — to tire
  8. rash — a series
  9. object — a thing
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. object — to protest
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. rush — hurry
  20. file — a line of people
  21. perch — the fish
  22. file — a document
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. rash — on the skin

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