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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
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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: bore · prune · leaves · board · cue · fine · wave · deal

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. bore — to drill
  3. bore — to tire
  4. cue — a hint
  5. board — to get on
  6. deal — to handle
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. cue — for pool
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. board — a committee
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. prune — to trim
  20. cue — a signal
  21. fine — high quality
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. prune — to trim
  24. deal — an agreement

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