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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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. pound — a weight
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. content — the amount
  6. bore — to drill
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. bore — to tire
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. content — happy
  15. branch — a division
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. mouse — the animal

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