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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 teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. rest — what's left
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. rest — what's left
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. bore — to drill
  10. roll — a cake
  11. fine — high quality
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. rest — a break
  16. fine — all right
  17. prune — to trim
  18. bound — obliged
  19. prune — to trim
  20. bound — certain
  21. bore — to tire
  22. bound — tied together
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. plane — a tool

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