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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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: bat · track · calf · mark · prune · pass · stick · bore

  1. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. prune — to trim
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. bore — to tire
  5. bore — to drill
  6. track — to keep track
  7. track — a song
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. track — a path
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. mark — a trace
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. prune — to trim
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. pass — a permit
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. bat — the animal
  21. mark — a grade
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. bore — gave birth

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