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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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. bore — to drill
  5. spell — magic
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. prune — to trim
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. race — humankind
  13. race — the arms race
  14. sharp — clever
  15. bore — to tire
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. spell — letters
  19. race — a contest
  20. prune — to trim
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. spell — a short time
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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