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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
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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: wake · mouse · bore · fall · rush · rest · trunk · clip

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. bore — to drill
  3. fall — to drop
  4. fall — to drop
  5. bore — to tire
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. rest — what's left
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. wake — a trail
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. rest — what's left
  16. clip — a video
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. clip — to cut
  20. clip — for paper
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. fall — the season
  23. rush — hurry
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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