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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. degree — from a university
  3. bound — tied together
  4. bound — obliged
  5. bore — to drill
  6. bound — certain
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. date — the fruit
  10. degree — an amount
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. degree — temperature
  14. suit — in cards
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. prune — to trim
  17. suit — to fit
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. suit — clothes
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. prune — to trim
  24. prune — the fruit

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