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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. bore — to drill
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. prune — to trim
  6. rest — what's left
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. deal — to handle
  11. bore — to tire
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. prune — to trim
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. lie — to recline
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. suit — in cards
  20. suit — clothes
  21. rest — what's left
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. suit — to fit
  24. rest — a break

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