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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: lie · march · hand · prune · row · rash · bore · bear

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. bore — to drill
  4. lie — to recline
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. march — music
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. hand — help
  9. rash — hasty
  10. row — to paddle
  11. march — the month
  12. bear — the animal
  13. prune — to trim
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. march — the month
  17. rash — a series
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. bore — to tire
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. row — a line
  22. hand — in cards
  23. bear — the animal
  24. bore — gave birth

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