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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. squash — the sport
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. saw — the tool
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. bore — to tire
  12. pit — in a race
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. saw — the tool
  15. squash — to crush
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. object — to protest
  18. object — an aim
  19. suit — clothes
  20. bore — to drill
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. pit — a hole
  23. object — a thing
  24. suit — in cards

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