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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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. bore — to tire
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. foot — a measure
  7. staff — a stick
  8. bore — to drill
  9. net — after costs
  10. perch — the fish
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. staff — employees
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. bass — low music
  16. net — in sport
  17. bass — the fish
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. staff — employees
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. prune — to trim
  23. net — for catching
  24. foot — part of the body

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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