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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 120 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: object · fine · lash · bore · straw · prune · coach · pound

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. fine — all right
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. fine — high quality
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. prune — to trim
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. pound — a weight
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. object — an aim
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. prune — to trim
  16. object — to protest
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. bore — to drill
  21. bore — to tire
  22. object — a thing
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. straw — a straw man

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