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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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. bore — to drill
  4. mug — a face
  5. cue — a signal
  6. field — a subject
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. deal — to handle
  9. field — farmland
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. bore — to tire
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. prune — to trim
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. mug — to rob
  17. cue — for pool
  18. field — for sport
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. cue — a hint
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. wax — to grow
  24. mug — a cup

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