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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. bound — tied together
  3. roll — a cake
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. bound — certain
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. spell — a short time
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. spell — letters
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. spell — magic
  14. prune — to trim
  15. bore — to tire
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. prune — to trim
  21. bound — obliged
  22. roll — a list
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. calf — a young animal

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