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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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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: prune · sharp · stick · stand · swing · bore · track · ruler

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. prune — to trim
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. swing — to play on
  5. track — a path
  6. bore — to drill
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. sharp — clever
  9. prune — to trim
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. swing — in golf
  12. track — to keep track
  13. bore — to tire
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. swing — music
  17. stand — to bear
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. track — a song
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. stand — on your feet

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