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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. wind — moving air
  3. bound — tied together
  4. bore — to drill
  5. wind — moving air
  6. face — to confront
  7. mug — a cup
  8. bore — to tire
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. face — part of the head
  11. mug — a face
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. board — to get on
  14. key — in music
  15. board — a committee
  16. key — the most important part
  17. prune — to trim
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. face — to point toward
  20. prune — to trim
  21. bound — obliged
  22. bound — certain
  23. key — for a lock
  24. mug — to rob

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