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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: rush · chair · trunk · rock · craft · face · bore · board

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. rush — hurry
  4. board — to get on
  5. craft — boats
  6. rock — music
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. craft — a skill
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. bore — to drill
  15. face — to confront
  16. chair — a leader
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. board — a committee
  19. rock — a stone
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. bore — to tire
  22. face — to point toward
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. face — part of the head

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