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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 116 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: bore · pound · bass · chip · trunk · deal · wax · root

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. root — of a word
  9. chip — for betting
  10. bore — to drill
  11. bass — low music
  12. root — of a plant
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. bore — to tire
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. chip — to eat
  17. bass — the fish
  18. root — the cause
  19. deal — to handle
  20. wax — to grow
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. pound — a weight
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. pound — for dogs

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