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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: bound · bay · chip · saw · suit · trunk · prune · ball

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. suit — clothes
  3. prune — to trim
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. suit — in cards
  7. chip — to eat
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. ball — a dance
  10. saw — the tool
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. chip — for betting
  13. bound — obliged
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. prune — to trim
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. bound — tied together
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. suit — to fit
  20. saw — the tool
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. bound — certain

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