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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: last · prune · cabinet · squash · vault · pitcher · bore · rock

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. last — finally
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. prune — to trim
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. last — to go on
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. last — final
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. rock — a stone
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. squash — the sport
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. bore — to tire
  17. rock — music
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. prune — to trim
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. squash — to crush
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. bore — to drill
  24. vault — a safe

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