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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. prune — to trim
  4. chest — of your body
  5. fork — in a road
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. bore — to drill
  10. pass — a permit
  11. chest — of your body
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. can — a tin
  15. can — a tin
  16. chest — a box
  17. bore — to tire
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. prune — to trim
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. can — to be able to

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