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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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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: prune · pitcher · bore · bank · cabinet · race · ground · row

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. ground — the earth
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. race — the arms race
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. row — a line
  10. race — humankind
  11. ground — crushed
  12. ground — a position
  13. bank — for money
  14. prune — to trim
  15. bank — of a river
  16. row — to paddle
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. prune — to trim
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. race — a contest
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. bore — to tire
  23. bore — to drill
  24. bank — for money

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