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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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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: pit · tear · bank · object · bore · prune · toast · pop

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. toast — bread
  3. tear — to rip
  4. bank — of a river
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. pit — in a race
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. object — to protest
  9. object — a thing
  10. pit — a hole
  11. bank — for money
  12. prune — to trim
  13. bore — to drill
  14. bore — to tire
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. pop — to visit
  18. pop — soda
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. prune — to trim
  21. pop — music
  22. bank — for money
  23. tear — from crying
  24. tear — from crying

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