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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: lie · bear · arm · swing · prune · bore · net · stick

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. bore — to tire
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. bear — the animal
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. prune — to trim
  8. bear — the animal
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. net — for catching
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. swing — in golf
  14. net — in sport
  15. swing — to play on
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. swing — music
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. bore — to drill
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. net — after costs
  23. prune — to trim
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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