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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
468
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: bear · trunk · mug · bore · chip · land · file · racket

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  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. mug — a cup
  2. file — a document
  3. mug — to rob
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. bear — the animal
  6. land — to come down
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. file — a line of people
  10. file — a tool
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. bore — to drill
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. mug — a face
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. chip — for betting
  17. land — a country
  18. bear — the animal
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. chip — to eat
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. bore — to tire
  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