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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: firm · ruler · arm · bore · swing · mouse · chest · prune

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. prune — to trim
  4. firm — steady
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. firm — a company
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. chest — of your body
  9. swing — music
  10. swing — in golf
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. bore — to drill
  16. swing — to play on
  17. chest — of your body
  18. firm — decided
  19. chest — a box
  20. prune — to trim
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. prune — the fruit

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