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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: mark · lash · drill · content · bore · trunk · bear · club

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. drill — army training
  3. content — happy
  4. mark — a trace
  5. club — a group
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. mark — a grade
  9. club — for golf
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. drill — the tool
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. bear — the animal
  18. club — for dancing
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. drill — a practice
  22. bore — to tire
  23. bore — to drill
  24. content — the amount

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