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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. bore — to tire
  3. prune — to trim
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. lean — to bend
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. season — in sport
  11. prune — to trim
  12. ball — a great time
  13. lean — thin
  14. season — of the year
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. cell — in biology
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. cell — a phone
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. ball — a dance
  22. pitch — completely
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. prune — the fruit

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