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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bore · key · jam · mug · rule · prune · bass · wind

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. bass — low music
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. bore — to drill
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. rule — government
  7. key — for a lock
  8. mug — a cup
  9. mug — to rob
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. prune — to trim
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. rule — a law
  15. bass — the fish
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. mug — a face
  19. wind — moving air
  20. prune — to trim
  21. key — in music
  22. wind — moving air
  23. bore — to tire
  24. key — the most important part

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