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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. land — a country
  3. bore — to tire
  4. bear — the animal
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. present — there
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. hand — in cards
  9. land — to come down
  10. bulb — for light
  11. prune — to trim
  12. bulb — for light
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. land — ground
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. hand — help
  19. bore — to drill
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. prune — to trim
  22. present — the time now
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. present — a gift

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