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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.

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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: trunk · rush · lie · bore · wound · mouse · patient · cap

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  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. cap — a lid
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. rush — hurry
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. cap — of ice
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. bore — to tire
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. wound — an injury
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. bore — to drill
  16. wound — an injury
  17. cap — a hat
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. lie — to recline
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. lie — an untruth
  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