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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. prune — to trim
  5. cap — of ice
  6. prune — to trim
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. ball — a dance
  9. file — a tool
  10. bore — to tire
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. pound — a weight
  13. bore — to drill
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. file — a document
  17. ball — a great time
  18. cap — a hat
  19. file — a line of people
  20. cap — a lid
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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