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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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. tear — to rip
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. mark — a trace
  6. can — to be able to
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. face — to confront
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. kid — to tease
  12. kid — child
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. face — part of the head
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. tear — from crying
  18. mark — a grade
  19. bore — to tire
  20. face — to point toward
  21. bore — to drill
  22. can — a tin
  23. can — a tin
  24. tear — from crying

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