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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: fine · wind · bay · net · bore · prune · leaves · rock

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. bore — to drill
  4. wind — moving air
  5. net — in sport
  6. rock — music
  7. wind — moving air
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. prune — to trim
  11. net — after costs
  12. fine — high quality
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. prune — to trim
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. net — for catching
  21. fine — all right
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. bore — to tire

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