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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 116 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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. bound — tied together
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. prune — to trim
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. object — an aim
  7. pass — a permit
  8. tube — a container
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. prune — to trim
  12. object — a thing
  13. bore — to drill
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. bound — obliged
  16. bound — certain
  17. lean — to bend
  18. tube — the underground
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. lean — thin
  23. object — to protest
  24. vault — a safe

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