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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. lean — to bend
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. prune — to trim
  10. bore — to drill
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. lean — thin
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. bore — to tire
  15. pitch — completely
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. prune — to trim
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. nail — on a finger

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