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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: fall · plane · trunk · mine · staff · nail · bore · wake

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. wake — a trail
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. staff — a stick
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. fall — to drop
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. mine — for digging
  14. fall — to drop
  15. staff — employees
  16. plane — a tool
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. staff — employees
  20. fall — the season
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. bore — to drill
  24. bore — to tire

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