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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. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. bore — to drill
  4. chest — a box
  5. chest — of your body
  6. bore — to tire
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. saw — the tool
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. saw — the tool
  12. charge — electricity
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. charge — in control
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. chest — of your body
  20. charge — a price
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. plane — a tool
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. plane — in geometry

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