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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. bore — to drill
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. prune — to trim
  5. can — a tin
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. staff — employees
  8. prune — to trim
  9. kid — to tease
  10. lie — to recline
  11. kid — child
  12. staff — employees
  13. staff — a stick
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. can — a tin
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. bore — to tire
  24. coach — a trainer

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