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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. prune — to trim
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. rock — a stone
  5. present — the time now
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. prune — to trim
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. snap — to click
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. present — there
  19. bore — to drill
  20. rock — music
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bore — to tire
  24. pound — a weight

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