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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. prune — to trim
  3. rash — a series
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. net — for catching
  6. club — for dancing
  7. suit — to fit
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. club — a group
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bear — the animal
  12. net — in sport
  13. charge — a price
  14. bore — to drill
  15. club — for golf
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. charge — electricity
  18. net — after costs
  19. prune — to trim
  20. rash — hasty
  21. suit — in cards
  22. suit — clothes
  23. charge — in control
  24. bore — gave birth

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