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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 116 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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. ball — a great time
  3. rash — hasty
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. pit — a hole
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. rash — a series
  11. bore — to drill
  12. pound — a weight
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. bulb — for light
  16. prune — to trim
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. ball — a dance
  20. bulb — for light
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. pit — in a race
  24. bore — to tire

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