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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: toast · arm · sharp · prune · bore · cabinet · bass · rash

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. sharp — clever
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. bore — to drill
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. bore — to tire
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. bass — the fish
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. prune — to trim
  13. toast — bread
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. rash — hasty
  17. bass — low music
  18. rash — a series
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. prune — to trim

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