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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 124 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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. chest — a box
  3. suit — to fit
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. suit — clothes
  6. prune — to trim
  7. prune — to trim
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. chest — of your body
  11. net — after costs
  12. net — for catching
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. date — the fruit
  15. chest — of your body
  16. bore — to tire
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. suit — in cards
  19. bore — to drill
  20. rock — music
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. rock — a stone
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. net — in sport

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