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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. chest — a box
  4. bore — to drill
  5. bore — to tire
  6. prune — to trim
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. stand — to bear
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. chest — of your body
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. prune — to trim
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. chest — of your body
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. stand — on your feet

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