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

Word bank: cell · prune · bear · calf · stick · bore · dip · object

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. object — an aim
  5. object — to protest
  6. bore — to tire
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bear — the animal
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. cell — in biology
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. object — a thing
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. bore — to drill
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. cell — a phone
  19. prune — to trim
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. dip — to sink
  22. prune — to trim
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. calf — a young animal

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