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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. prune — to trim
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. bear — the animal
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. rush — hurry
  14. bore — to drill
  15. bore — to tire
  16. bear — the animal
  17. cap — of ice
  18. cap — a hat
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. prune — to trim
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. chair — a leader
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. cap — a lid

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