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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: wound · cabinet · bay · leaves · content · prune · bore · rock

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. prune — to trim
  3. bore — to drill
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. rock — a stone
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. rock — music
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. wound — an injury
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. prune — to trim
  16. bore — to tire
  17. content — happy
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. wound — an injury
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. content — the amount
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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