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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. hand — help
  3. bulb — for light
  4. object — to protest
  5. bore — to drill
  6. prune — to trim
  7. suit — to fit
  8. perch — the fish
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. suit — clothes
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. bulb — for light
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. suit — in cards
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. bore — to tire
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. rush — hurry
  22. hand — in cards
  23. object — a thing
  24. prune — to trim

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