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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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. bore — to tire
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. pit — a hole
  6. mug — to rob
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. ball — a great time
  9. ball — a dance
  10. bore — to drill
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. object — an aim
  14. prune — to trim
  15. sharp — clever
  16. mug — a face
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. object — to protest
  20. object — a thing
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. pit — in a race
  23. mug — a cup
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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