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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 120 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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. season — in sport
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. bore — to drill
  7. cue — a hint
  8. cue — for pool
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. rock — a stone
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. chair — a leader
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. rock — music
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. bore — to tire
  22. prune — to trim
  23. season — of the year
  24. cue — a signal

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