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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. bank — for money
  4. land — to come down
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. bore — to tire
  10. bank — of a river
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. bank — for money
  14. land — a country
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. plane — a tool
  17. land — ground
  18. pitcher — in baseball

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