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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. spring — a coil
  3. prune — to trim
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. prune — to trim
  6. bore — to tire
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. pit — in a race
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. spring — the season
  13. suit — clothes
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. suit — in cards
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. wake — a trail
  18. foot — a measure
  19. toast — bread
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. pit — a hole
  22. suit — to fit
  23. spring — of water
  24. prune — the fruit

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