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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. key — the most important part
  3. prune — to trim
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. bore — to drill
  6. craft — a skill
  7. perch — the fish
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. prune — to trim
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. lie — to recline
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bear — the animal
  19. key — in music
  20. dip — to sink
  21. key — for a lock
  22. craft — boats
  23. bore — to tire
  24. perch — for a bird

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