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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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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: bore · season · ruler · racket · lean · kid · prune · mate

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. prune — to trim
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. kid — to tease
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. bore — to drill
  8. kid — child
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. mate — a friend
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. season — of the year
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. bore — to tire
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. season — in sport
  21. lean — thin
  22. mate — to breed
  23. lean — to bend
  24. prune — to trim

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