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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: mark · trunk · bore · saw · squash · lie · board · stock

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. saw — the tool
  4. bore — to tire
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. saw — the tool
  10. squash — the sport
  11. mark — a trace
  12. lie — to recline
  13. mark — a grade
  14. stock — goods
  15. stock — shares
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. bore — to drill
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. board — a committee
  22. squash — to crush
  23. board — to get on
  24. trunk — of a car

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