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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 120 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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. pop — soda
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. pop — to visit
  6. prune — to trim
  7. ground — the earth
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. pit — in a race
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. ground — crushed
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. craft — boats
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. prune — to trim
  17. ground — a position
  18. pit — a hole
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. bore — to tire
  21. craft — a skill
  22. pop — music
  23. bore — to drill
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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