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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: roll · cabinet · prune · bowl · fine · bore · firm · shower

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. fine — all right
  4. shower — to wash
  5. shower — rain
  6. bore — to tire
  7. firm — a company
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. prune — to trim
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. roll — a list
  12. bore — to drill
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. roll — a cake
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. prune — to trim
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. fine — high quality
  20. firm — steady
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. bowl — a football final

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