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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 120 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: net · drill · object · shower · snap · trunk · mark · pit

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. drill — a practice
  3. snap — to click
  4. pit — in a race
  5. mark — a grade
  6. drill — the tool
  7. mark — a trace
  8. pit — a hole
  9. object — an aim
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. object — a thing
  12. net — for catching
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. shower — rain
  16. object — to protest
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. shower — to wash
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. net — in sport
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. drill — army training
  24. net — after costs

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