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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: patient · row · saw · rest · nail · mark · trunk · chip

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. row — a line
  5. mark — a trace
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. row — to paddle
  9. rest — a break
  10. rest — what's left
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. saw — the tool
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. chip — for betting
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. chip — to eat
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. mark — a grade
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. rest — what's left
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. row — a quarrel

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