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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.

Make a worksheet

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: bore · hide · chair · bound · perch · current · temple · row

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. bound — certain
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. bore — to drill
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. perch — the fish
  10. bound — tied together
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. current — electric
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. row — a line
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. row — to paddle
  18. chair — a leader
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. bound — obliged
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. current — happening now
  23. bore — to tire
  24. hide — to keep secret

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