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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. mug — a cup
  3. march — the month
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. bore — to tire
  6. current — of water
  7. race — the arms race
  8. race — humankind
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. prune — to trim
  11. march — the month
  12. mug — a face
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. prune — to trim
  16. current — happening now
  17. race — a contest
  18. bore — to drill
  19. fine — all right
  20. fine — high quality
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. current — electric
  23. march — music
  24. mug — to rob

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