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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: leaves · fine · prune · ball · board · craft · tube · shower

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. board — to get on
  7. fine — all right
  8. shower — to wash
  9. craft — a skill
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. shower — rain
  14. prune — to trim
  15. tube — the underground
  16. ball — a great time
  17. prune — to trim
  18. fine — high quality
  19. tube — a container
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. craft — boats
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. ball — a dance

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