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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 120 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: bowl · hide · rock · bore · pop · present · trunk · prune

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. pop — to visit
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. present — the time now
  8. bore — to tire
  9. pop — soda
  10. rock — a stone
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. prune — to trim
  14. pop — music
  15. present — a gift
  16. bore — to drill
  17. rock — music
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. prune — to trim
  24. present — there

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