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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: pound · pit · dip · bore · foot · trunk · roll · mark

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. pit — in a race
  3. bore — to drill
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. pound — a weight
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. pit — a hole
  8. bore — to tire
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. foot — a measure
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. mark — a trace
  15. dip — to sink
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. roll — a list
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. roll — a cake
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. mark — a grade

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