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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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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 · stand · degree · bore · can · jam · row · bulb

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. degree — temperature
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. stand — to bear
  5. bore — to tire
  6. degree — an amount
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. row — to paddle
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. perch — the fish
  14. degree — from a university
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. bulb — for light
  17. can — a tin
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. can — to be able to
  21. bulb — for light
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. row — a line
  24. can — a tin

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