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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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. bore — to tire
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. squash — the sport
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. squash — to crush
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. chip — for betting
  14. bore — to drill
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. chip — to eat
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. rush — hurry
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. bark — to shout

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