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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: pound · object · cabinet · craft · drill · trunk · rush · bore

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. rush — hurry
  4. craft — a skill
  5. bore — to drill
  6. object — an aim
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. object — to protest
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. craft — boats
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. drill — army training
  15. drill — a practice
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. bore — to tire
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. drill — the tool
  21. pound — a weight
  22. object — a thing
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. pound — to hit hard

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