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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. staff — employees
  4. bore — to drill
  5. staff — a stick
  6. tear — from crying
  7. tear — from crying
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. can — a tin
  12. bore — to tire
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. staff — employees
  15. mark — a grade
  16. can — a tin
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. prune — to trim
  19. mark — a trace
  20. can — to be able to
  21. tear — to rip
  22. board — a committee
  23. prune — to trim
  24. board — to get on

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