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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: perch · bound · roll · object · bore · trunk · sharp · plane

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. bore — to drill
  5. bore — to tire
  6. bound — obliged
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. plane — a tool
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. roll — a cake
  11. bound — tied together
  12. perch — the fish
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. sharp — clever
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. object — to protest
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. roll — a list
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. object — a thing
  24. object — an aim

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