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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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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: key · rock · fan · trunk · land · dip · bore · arm

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. bore — to tire
  3. key — in music
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. rock — music
  6. rock — a stone
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. land — ground
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. key — the most important part
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. land — a country
  15. land — to come down
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. key — for a lock
  20. bore — to drill
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. dip — to sink
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. bore — gave birth

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