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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: ruler · pop · bore · shower · nail · track · jam · prune

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. shower — to wash
  3. bore — to tire
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. pop — music
  6. track — a path
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. shower — rain
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. track — to keep track
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. pop — soda
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. prune — to trim
  21. pop — to visit
  22. track — a song
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. prune — to trim

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