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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: rest · board · drill · prune · rock · bore · cabinet · land

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. bore — to tire
  3. drill — a practice
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. drill — the tool
  7. rest — what's left
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. rock — a stone
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. prune — to trim
  12. board — a committee
  13. board — to get on
  14. land — ground
  15. land — to come down
  16. prune — to trim
  17. rest — what's left
  18. rest — a break
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. rock — music
  21. bore — to drill
  22. land — a country
  23. drill — army training
  24. prune — the fruit

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