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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. bound — obliged
  7. bound — tied together
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. chip — to eat
  10. prune — to trim
  11. land — to come down
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. bound — certain
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. bore — to drill
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. chip — for betting
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. land — ground
  21. bore — to tire
  22. land — a country
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. lash — an eyelash

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