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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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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 · firm · coach · bound · wake · kid · rush · foot

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. kid — to tease
  6. firm — a company
  7. bound — certain
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. bound — obliged
  10. wake — a trail
  11. kid — child
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. bound — tied together
  18. firm — decided
  19. firm — steady
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. rush — hurry
  23. foot — a measure
  24. foot — the bottom

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