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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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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. present — a gift
  4. present — the time now
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. track — to keep track
  8. bore — to drill
  9. fine — high quality
  10. ball — a great time
  11. ball — a dance
  12. prune — to trim
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. bound — certain
  15. bound — tied together
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. track — a song
  19. present — there
  20. prune — to trim
  21. bound — obliged
  22. track — a path
  23. bore — to tire
  24. fine — all right

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