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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: mouse · prune · court · cabinet · craft · bore · ruler · lean

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. craft — boats
  7. lean — to bend
  8. court — of law
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. bore — to tire
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. craft — a skill
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. court — of a king
  17. lean — thin
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. court — for sport
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. prune — to trim
  23. prune — to trim
  24. bore — to drill

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