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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: rush · bore · lean · sharp · bear · ball · prune · craft

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. bore — to tire
  3. lean — to bend
  4. craft — boats
  5. ball — a great time
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. prune — to trim
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. bear — the animal
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. prune — to trim
  14. rush — hurry
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. bear — the animal
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. ball — a dance
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. sharp — clever
  23. lean — thin
  24. craft — a skill

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