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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. suit — clothes
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. prune — to trim
  6. net — in sport
  7. scale — in music
  8. bore — to drill
  9. firm — decided
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. suit — in cards
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. net — after costs
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. suit — to fit
  16. bore — to tire
  17. firm — a company
  18. scale — size or range
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. net — for catching
  21. kick — in football
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. firm — steady

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