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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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: drill · bore · fork · rash · bowl · trunk · lean · track

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. drill — army training
  3. track — a path
  4. fork — in a road
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. bore — to tire
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. drill — the tool
  12. lean — thin
  13. drill — a practice
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. bore — to drill
  17. track — to keep track
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. rash — hasty
  20. track — a song
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. lean — to bend
  23. rash — a series
  24. bowl — a football final

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