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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. court — of a king
  4. foot — a measure
  5. bore — to drill
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. prune — to trim
  8. court — for sport
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. object — to protest
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. object — a thing
  13. court — of law
  14. prune — to trim
  15. press — to push
  16. club — for golf
  17. bore — to tire
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. club — for dancing
  20. press — newspapers
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. club — a group
  23. press — a publisher
  24. object — an aim

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