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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 tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. bore — to drill
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. fork — in a road
  13. pound — a weight
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. wax — to grow
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. vault — a safe
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. bore — to tire
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. fork — a garden tool

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