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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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. suit — to fit
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. prune — to trim
  5. chair — a leader
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. spring — of water
  8. suit — in cards
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. bore — to tire
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. spring — the season
  20. suit — clothes
  21. prune — to trim
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. bore — to drill

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