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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. rock — music
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. prune — to trim
  5. tube — the underground
  6. bore — to tire
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. cap — a hat
  9. cap — a lid
  10. tube — a container
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. prune — to trim
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. branch — a division
  17. rock — a stone
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. cap — of ice
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. branch — of a bank

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