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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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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: coach · bank · trunk · bore · rest · kid · board · foot

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. bore — to drill
  3. foot — a measure
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. kid — child
  7. bank — for money
  8. board — to get on
  9. rest — what's left
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. bore — to tire
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. kid — to tease
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. bank — of a river
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. rest — a break
  20. bank — for money
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. board — a committee

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