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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. prune — to trim
  3. ball — a great time
  4. snap — to click
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. bore — to tire
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. ball — a dance
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. prune — to trim
  18. stem — to come from
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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