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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: dip · prune · perch · saw · trunk · bore · racket · roll

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. prune — to trim
  3. saw — the tool
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. bore — to tire
  6. bore — to drill
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. perch — the fish
  13. saw — the tool
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. roll — a cake
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. prune — to trim
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. roll — a list
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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