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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.

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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: bulb · coach · prune · ball · foot · last · bore · ruler

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. prune — to trim
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. last — finally
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bore — to drill
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. foot — a measure
  12. ball — a great time
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. last — to go on
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. bulb — for light
  20. prune — to trim
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. ball — a dance
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. last — final

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