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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: bat · mate · nail · hide · firm · prune · bore · pit

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. bore — to tire
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. firm — decided
  10. firm — steady
  11. bore — to drill
  12. mate — a friend
  13. pit — in a race
  14. bat — the animal
  15. mate — to breed
  16. prune — to trim
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. pit — a hole
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. mate — a partner
  22. prune — to trim
  23. firm — a company
  24. nail — for a hammer

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