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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
468
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: kick · nail · mark · press · jam · trunk · prune · bore

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. bore — to drill
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. press — a publisher
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. prune — to trim
  9. mark — a grade
  10. press — to push
  11. mark — a trace
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. press — newspapers
  14. kick — in football
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. bore — to tire
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. prune — to trim
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. nail — on a finger

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