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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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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: firm · prune · mug · racket · march · bore

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. prune — to trim
  3. bore — to drill
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. march — the month
  6. bore — to tire
  7. firm — a company
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. firm — decided
  10. firm — steady
  11. mug — to rob
  12. march — the month
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. prune — to trim
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. mug — a cup
  18. mug — a face

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