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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 · squash · chest · root · bore · ruler · bound · racket

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. squash — the sport
  3. root — of a word
  4. bound — certain
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. root — the cause
  7. bound — obliged
  8. root — of a plant
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. chest — a box
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. prune — to trim
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. chest — of your body
  16. bore — to tire
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. bound — tied together
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. prune — to trim
  21. bore — to drill
  22. squash — to crush
  23. chest — of your body
  24. racket — for tennis

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