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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: prune · racket · rest · bound · lie · object · cabinet · bank

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. bound — tied together
  5. object — a thing
  6. bank — of a river
  7. lie — to recline
  8. bound — certain
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. rest — what's left
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. prune — to trim
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. bound — obliged
  17. bank — for money
  18. prune — to trim
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. rest — what's left
  21. bank — for money
  22. rest — a break
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. object — an aim

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