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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: object · foot · prune · bore · wave · lie · land · bay

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. prune — to trim
  4. prune — to trim
  5. lie — to recline
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. object — an aim
  10. foot — a measure
  11. bore — to drill
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. land — ground
  14. object — to protest
  15. land — to come down
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. object — a thing
  21. land — a country
  22. bore — to tire
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. prune — the fruit

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