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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: rush · prune · mate · bore · mouse · bound · pitcher · key

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. bound — tied together
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. bound — obliged
  5. prune — to trim
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. bore — to tire
  8. mate — to breed
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. mate — a friend
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. prune — to trim
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. key — for a lock
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. key — in music
  19. mate — a partner
  20. bound — certain
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. key — the most important part
  23. rush — hurry
  24. bore — to drill

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