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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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. row — to paddle
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. season — of the year
  5. prune — to trim
  6. prune — to trim
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. season — in sport
  14. bore — to tire
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. bore — to drill
  19. saw — the tool
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. rush — hurry
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. saw — the tool

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