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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 116 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: key · pop · lie · prune · bore · wound · bank · object

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  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. prune — to trim
  2. wound — an injury
  3. bore — to tire
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. bore — to drill
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. wound — an injury
  8. key — for a lock
  9. prune — to trim
  10. key — in music
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. pop — to visit
  15. pop — music
  16. object — a thing
  17. object — to protest
  18. pop — soda
  19. bank — for money
  20. lie — to recline
  21. key — the most important part
  22. bank — for money
  23. bank — of a river
  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