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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: bass · last · rest · bore · prune · safe · cabinet · lie

  1. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. bass — the fish
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. prune — to trim
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. rest — what's left
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. rest — what's left
  10. rest — a break
  11. last — to go on
  12. bass — low music
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. prune — to trim
  16. bore — to drill
  17. last — finally
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. bore — to tire
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. lie — to recline
  24. safe — a strongbox

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