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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. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. mark — a grade
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. fall — to drop
  7. prune — to trim
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. saw — the tool
  10. suit — clothes
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. suit — in cards
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. fall — to drop
  15. bore — to tire
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. saw — the tool
  18. bore — to drill
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. prune — to trim
  21. mark — a trace
  22. fall — the season
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. suit — to fit

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