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

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. bore — to drill
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. shower — rain
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. tube — the underground
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. kid — to tease
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. bore — to tire
  12. kid — child
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. content — the amount
  15. tube — a container
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. foot — a measure
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. content — happy
  21. shower — to wash
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. content — videos and posts

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