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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: lash · bulb · current · bore · board · prune · fine · wake

  1. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. bulb — for light
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. current — of water
  6. fine — all right
  7. bore — to drill
  8. current — electric
  9. prune — to trim
  10. current — happening now
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. bore — to tire
  14. board — a committee
  15. board — to get on
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. bulb — for light
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. prune — to trim
  21. wake — a trail
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. fine — high quality

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