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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: board · trunk · net · pitcher · bore · bay · cap · prune

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. net — in sport
  3. cap — of ice
  4. cap — a lid
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. bore — to tire
  9. net — after costs
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. cap — a hat
  12. prune — to trim
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. bore — to drill
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. board — to get on
  17. board — a committee
  18. prune — to trim
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. net — for catching
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. bay — a horse colour

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