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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 124 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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. row — a line
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. bore — to tire
  5. stock — goods
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. prune — to trim
  11. fork — in a road
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. deal — to handle
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. row — to paddle
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. stock — shares
  23. prune — to trim
  24. row — a quarrel

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