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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: bass · ball · bore · lean · saw · prune · suit · mouse

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. prune — to trim
  3. lean — thin
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. suit — in cards
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. ball — a great time
  12. lean — to bend
  13. saw — the tool
  14. bass — the fish
  15. bass — low music
  16. suit — to fit
  17. bore — to tire
  18. bore — to drill
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. suit — clothes
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. saw — the tool
  24. ball — a dance

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