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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. pit — a hole
  4. pop — to visit
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. bore — to tire
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. bore — to drill
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. stand — to bear
  13. saw — the tool
  14. squash — to crush
  15. squash — the sport
  16. pop — soda
  17. pit — in a race
  18. saw — the tool
  19. pop — music
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. foot — a measure
  23. prune — to trim
  24. prune — to trim

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