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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.

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: prune · tube · ball · bore · bay · snap · press · saw

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  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. bay — a part of the sea
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. bore — to tire
  7. ball — a great time
  8. press — a publisher
  9. prune — to trim
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. press — to push
  12. prune — to trim
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. ball — a dance
  15. press — newspapers
  16. tube — a container
  17. tube — the underground
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. saw — the tool
  21. snap — to click
  22. saw — the tool
  23. tube — in a tire
  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