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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: trunk · object · bore · perch · content · rock · foot · can

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. bore — to tire
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. object — a thing
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. content — happy
  13. can — a tin
  14. can — a tin
  15. perch — the fish
  16. foot — a measure
  17. object — an aim
  18. object — to protest
  19. rock — a stone
  20. rock — music
  21. bore — to drill
  22. content — the amount
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. rock — to move gently

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