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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 116 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: ball · bulb · prune · stand · coach · lean · pit · bore

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. ball — a dance
  3. stand — to bear
  4. pit — in a race
  5. pit — a hole
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. prune — to trim
  8. bulb — for light
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. lean — thin
  11. prune — to trim
  12. bulb — for light
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. bore — to tire
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. lean — to bend
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. ball — a great time

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