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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 120 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: stick · perch · bore · chip · ruler · leaves · spring · squash

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. bore — to tire
  8. chip — to eat
  9. spring — of water
  10. squash — the sport
  11. bore — to drill
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. spring — the season
  14. chip — for betting
  15. perch — the fish
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. squash — to crush
  23. spring — a coil
  24. bore — gave birth

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