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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 120 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: shower · bear · object · safe · wax · prune · snap · bore

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. bear — the animal
  4. object — an aim
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. snap — to click
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. shower — rain
  9. prune — to trim
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. object — to protest
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. bear — the animal
  16. object — a thing
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. wax — to grow
  19. bore — to tire
  20. shower — to wash
  21. prune — to trim
  22. bore — to drill
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. prune — the fruit

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