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

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. roll — a cake
  3. bank — of a river
  4. bank — for money
  5. wake — a trail
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. bore — to drill
  9. club — for dancing
  10. prune — to trim
  11. board — to get on
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. club — a group
  14. bank — for money
  15. board — a committee
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. club — for golf
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. roll — a list
  23. bore — to tire
  24. board — a flat piece

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