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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: pitcher · rule · foot · trunk · can · bore · mate · hand

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. rule — a law
  3. mate — to breed
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. foot — a measure
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. can — to be able to
  11. can — a tin
  12. hand — help
  13. bore — to drill
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. mate — a partner
  16. rule — government
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. hand — in cards
  20. bore — to tire
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. can — a tin
  24. hand — part of the body

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