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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. prune — to trim
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. ball — a dance
  9. spring — the season
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. spring — a coil
  14. prune — to trim
  15. spring — of water
  16. ball — a great time
  17. bore — to drill
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. bore — to tire
  21. suit — to fit
  22. kick — in football
  23. suit — in cards
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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