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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 116 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. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. bore — to tire
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. craft — a skill
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. mark — a trace
  7. land — to come down
  8. wake — a trail
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. mark — a grade
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. land — a country
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. pitch — completely
  20. land — ground
  21. bore — to drill
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. craft — boats

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