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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: prune · bank · firm · shower · bore · board · pop · staff

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. bore — to drill
  3. bore — to tire
  4. shower — to wash
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. pop — to visit
  7. staff — employees
  8. pop — soda
  9. firm — a company
  10. pop — music
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. staff — a stick
  13. prune — to trim
  14. staff — employees
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. board — a committee
  17. bank — for money
  18. prune — to trim
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. bank — for money
  21. firm — steady
  22. shower — rain
  23. bank — of a river
  24. board — to get on

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