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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: kid · spell · rock · ground · bore · can · perch · bay

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. spell — a short time
  4. bore — to tire
  5. can — to be able to
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. bore — to drill
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. rock — music
  11. kid — to tease
  12. spell — magic
  13. kid — child
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. perch — the fish
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. ground — crushed
  18. ground — a position
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. can — a tin
  21. spell — letters
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. ground — the earth
  24. rock — a stone

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