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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. prune — to trim
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. rest — what's left
  5. bound — obliged
  6. tear — from crying
  7. bore — to tire
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. bound — tied together
  11. bark — to shout
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. tear — to rip
  14. tear — from crying
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. bound — certain
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. rest — a break
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. bore — to drill
  23. rest — what's left
  24. hide — animal skin

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