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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. prune — to trim
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. bore — to drill
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. fine — high quality
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. roll — a cake
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. plane — a tool
  12. fine — all right
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. stock — goods
  15. roll — a list
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. prune — to trim
  22. bore — to tire
  23. stock — shares
  24. arm — part of the body

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