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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: pitcher · fall · can · bass · prune · bore · staff · wound

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. fall — the season
  3. can — a tin
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. fall — to drop
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. bass — the fish
  10. staff — employees
  11. staff — employees
  12. prune — to trim
  13. wound — an injury
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. bass — low music
  16. can — to be able to
  17. staff — a stick
  18. prune — to trim
  19. can — a tin
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. fall — to drop
  22. bore — to drill
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. bore — to tire

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