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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: bore · drill · mouse · cabinet · game · can · prune · wound

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. drill — army training
  3. game — wild animals
  4. drill — a practice
  5. game — a match
  6. bore — to drill
  7. prune — to trim
  8. drill — the tool
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. can — to be able to
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. wound — an injury
  18. can — a tin
  19. can — a tin
  20. bore — to tire
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. prune — to trim
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. wound — an injury

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