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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: spell · perch · nail · dip · bowl · firm · bore · lie

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. firm — decided
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. spell — letters
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. spell — magic
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. lie — to recline
  12. firm — a company
  13. bore — to tire
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. dip — to sink
  16. spell — a short time
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. bore — to drill
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. firm — steady
  24. bowl — to roll

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