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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 120 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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. race — the arms race
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. bore — to drill
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. prune — to trim
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. bank — for money
  9. prune — to trim
  10. court — for sport
  11. bank — of a river
  12. race — humankind
  13. bank — for money
  14. wax — to grow
  15. race — a contest
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. bore — to tire
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. court — of law
  21. pit — in a race
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. court — of a king

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