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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. bore — to tire
  5. branch — a division
  6. prune — to trim
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. suit — to fit
  10. hand — in cards
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. bulb — for light
  20. prune — to trim
  21. bore — to drill
  22. hand — help
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. suit — clothes

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