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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. face — to confront
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. mine — for digging
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. bore — to drill
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. face — to point toward
  13. rock — music
  14. rock — a stone
  15. face — part of the head
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. bore — to tire
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. prune — to trim
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. kick — in football
  22. prune — to trim
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. temple — a place of worship

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