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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 120 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: rock · stand · mug · bore · dip · prune · clip · pitcher

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. prune — to trim
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. clip — a video
  6. rock — music
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. bore — to drill
  10. rock — a stone
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. clip — for paper
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. mug — to rob
  15. dip — to sink
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. bore — to tire
  18. mug — a cup
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. stand — to bear
  21. prune — to trim
  22. clip — to cut
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. mug — a face

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