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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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. foot — a measure
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. prune — to trim
  10. present — a gift
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. bat — the animal
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. present — there
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. bore — to tire
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. bore — to drill
  24. present — the time now

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