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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. present — there
  4. prune — to trim
  5. tube — a container
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. bore — to tire
  8. spell — a short time
  9. spell — magic
  10. club — for golf
  11. present — the time now
  12. fall — the season
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. tube — the underground
  16. present — a gift
  17. spell — letters
  18. fall — to drop
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. club — a group
  21. prune — to trim
  22. rush — hurry
  23. fall — to drop
  24. club — for dancing

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