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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: wake · nail · trunk · craft · land · fine · bore · racket

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. land — a country
  6. bore — to drill
  7. fine — high quality
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. craft — a skill
  10. craft — boats
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. land — to come down
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. fine — all right
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. wake — a trail
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. land — ground

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