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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. bore — to drill
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. pop — music
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. prune — to trim
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. rush — hurry
  15. shower — rain
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. pop — soda
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. pop — to visit
  22. bore — to tire
  23. prune — to trim
  24. shower — to wash

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