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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: perch · roll · pitcher · chair · file · bore · stand · rock

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. bore — to drill
  3. file — a line of people
  4. roll — a list
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. rock — a stone
  13. perch — the fish
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. file — a tool
  16. rock — music
  17. file — a document
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. stand — to bear
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. chair — a leader
  23. bore — to tire
  24. roll — a cake

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