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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: saw · board · object · bay · wound · bulb · prune · bore

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. board — a committee
  3. prune — to trim
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. bulb — for light
  6. object — an aim
  7. board — to get on
  8. bore — to tire
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. wound — an injury
  12. object — to protest
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. prune — to trim
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. saw — the tool
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. wound — an injury
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. saw — the tool
  24. bore — to drill

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