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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. prune — to trim
  4. bore — to tire
  5. suit — to fit
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. prune — to trim
  8. firm — decided
  9. suit — in cards
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. snap — to click
  16. firm — a company
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. bore — to drill
  19. pass — a permit
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. sharp — clever
  22. firm — steady
  23. mine — for digging
  24. sharp — with an edge

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