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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: rash · rest · calf · prune · trunk · saw · bore · toast

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. saw — the tool
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. prune — to trim
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. bore — to drill
  7. toast — bread
  8. saw — the tool
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. prune — to trim
  12. rash — hasty
  13. rest — what's left
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. rash — a series
  20. rest — what's left
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. rest — a break

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