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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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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: wax · pitch · chest · bank · bore · root · trunk · craft

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. root — of a plant
  3. bank — for money
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. chest — a box
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. bank — for money
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. bore — to drill
  12. root — the cause
  13. wax — to grow
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. chest — of your body
  16. root — of a word
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. craft — a skill
  20. pitch — completely
  21. bank — of a river
  22. chest — of your body
  23. bore — to tire
  24. craft — boats

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