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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: drill · tube · dip · calf · bear · race · face · prune

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. race — the arms race
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. bear — the animal
  5. tube — a container
  6. drill — army training
  7. dip — to sink
  8. race — a contest
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. face — part of the head
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. face — to point toward
  15. drill — the tool
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. prune — to trim
  18. face — to confront
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. race — humankind
  21. bear — the animal
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. tube — the underground
  24. drill — a practice

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