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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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. wake — a trail
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. bore — to drill
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. bore — to tire
  8. pit — a hole
  9. staff — employees
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. mark — a grade
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. prune — to trim
  14. pit — in a race
  15. branch — a division
  16. mark — a trace
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. staff — a stick
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. staff — employees

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