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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.

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: rock · lash · kick · bore · trunk · object · sharp · prune

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. object — a thing
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. object — an aim
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. prune — to trim
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. kick — in football
  14. object — to protest
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. bore — to drill
  20. rock — a stone
  21. rock — music
  22. sharp — clever
  23. prune — to trim
  24. bore — to tire

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