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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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. ball — a great time
  3. bore — to tire
  4. prune — to trim
  5. present — there
  6. land — a country
  7. present — a gift
  8. cue — a signal
  9. present — the time now
  10. prune — to trim
  11. ball — a dance
  12. bank — of a river
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. land — ground
  15. deal — to handle
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. bank — for money
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. cue — for pool
  21. cue — a hint
  22. bore — to drill
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. bank — for money

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