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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: saw · chip · track · prune · trunk · date · mouse · bore

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. saw — the tool
  3. date — the fruit
  4. bore — to tire
  5. track — a song
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. saw — the tool
  8. bore — to drill
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. chip — to eat
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. track — a path
  14. prune — to trim
  15. chip — for betting
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. track — to keep track
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. prune — to trim
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. prune — the fruit

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