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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: chip · bore · kick · trunk · patient · ruler

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. bore — to tire
  3. chip — to eat
  4. bore — to drill
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. chip — for betting
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. kick — in football
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. kick — a thrill

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