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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: calf · pound · bore · scale · snap · leaves · trunk · rock

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. pound — a weight
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. snap — to click
  6. bore — to tire
  7. rock — a stone
  8. scale — size or range
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. bore — to drill
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. rock — music
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. scale — in music
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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