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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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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: prune · fork · craft · wave · mine · bore · suit · pound

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. bore — to drill
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. suit — clothes
  5. suit — in cards
  6. craft — a skill
  7. prune — to trim
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. craft — boats
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. prune — to trim
  13. pound — a weight
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. fork — in a road
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. bore — to tire
  23. mine — for digging
  24. suit — to fit

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