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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. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. saw — the tool
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. chest — of your body
  5. bound — certain
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. bore — to drill
  8. bound — tied together
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. board — a committee
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. saw — the tool
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. bore — to tire
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. chest — a box
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. bound — obliged
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. chest — of your body
  22. band — a music group
  23. board — to get on
  24. band — a ring

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