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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: band · can · stand · prune · board · mate · bore · foot

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. stand — to bear
  3. bore — to drill
  4. foot — a measure
  5. prune — to trim
  6. board — to get on
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. mate — a partner
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. can — a tin
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. can — to be able to
  16. prune — to trim
  17. mate — a friend
  18. board — a committee
  19. band — a ring
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. can — a tin
  22. bore — to tire
  23. mate — to breed
  24. stand — for spectators

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