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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: rock · kid · bank · prune · board · can · club · bore

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. bore — to drill
  3. prune — to trim
  4. kid — to tease
  5. club — for golf
  6. bank — of a river
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. can — a tin
  9. bank — for money
  10. club — for dancing
  11. bank — for money
  12. can — a tin
  13. can — to be able to
  14. board — to get on
  15. board — a committee
  16. rock — a stone
  17. rock — music
  18. kid — child
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. bore — to tire
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. club — a group
  24. board — a flat piece

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