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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: bore · mark · temple · plane · trunk · rash · scale · nail

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. rash — a series
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. rash — hasty
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. bore — to tire
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. plane — a tool
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. bore — to drill
  19. scale — in music
  20. scale — size or range
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. mark — a trace
  23. mark — a grade
  24. plane — in geometry

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