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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 120 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 ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. bore — to tire
  3. fork — in a road
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. season — in sport
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. firm — steady
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. firm — decided
  10. season — of the year
  11. bore — to drill
  12. prune — to trim
  13. pitch — completely
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. firm — a company
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. prune — to trim
  24. stick — to attach or keep 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