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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: stand · plane · bore · trunk · pass · rest · chest · bowl

  1. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. rest — what's left
  3. bore — to drill
  4. bore — to tire
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. rest — a break
  7. pass — a permit
  8. plane — a tool
  9. rest — what's left
  10. chest — a box
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. stand — to bear
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. chest — of your body
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. trunk — of a tree

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