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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 120 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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bear — the animal
  4. object — a thing
  5. race — a contest
  6. prune — to trim
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. race — humankind
  9. bore — to drill
  10. race — the arms race
  11. track — a song
  12. track — to keep track
  13. object — to protest
  14. lie — to recline
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. track — a path
  19. bore — to tire
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. object — an aim
  24. prune — to trim

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