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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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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: bore · bank · ruler · calf · row · bear · stock · trunk

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. row — a line
  6. row — to paddle
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bore — to drill
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. stock — shares
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. bore — to tire
  13. bear — the animal
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. bank — for money
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. bank — for money
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. stock — goods
  22. bank — of a river
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. ruler — for measuring

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