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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: mark · board · pass · tube · bark · hand · bore · prune

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. mark — a grade
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. mark — a trace
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. board — to get on
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. bore — to tire
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. prune — to trim
  12. hand — help
  13. tube — the underground
  14. board — a committee
  15. bark — to shout
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. prune — to trim
  19. hand — in cards
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. bore — to drill
  24. tube — a container

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