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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
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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: mate · bore · march · trunk · ball · ruler · stem · wound

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. bore — to drill
  3. bore — to tire
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. ball — a dance
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. ball — a great time
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. mate — a friend
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. wound — an injury
  15. wound — an injury
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. march — music
  19. mate — to breed
  20. mate — a partner
  21. march — the month
  22. march — the month
  23. stem — to come from
  24. stem — of a plant

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