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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 120 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: fine · foot · chair · bore · saw · trunk · chip · club

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. saw — the tool
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. club — for dancing
  9. saw — the tool
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. fine — high quality
  13. bore — to drill
  14. fine — all right
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. bore — to tire
  17. chip — for betting
  18. chip — to eat
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. chair — a leader
  21. club — for golf
  22. club — a group
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. foot — a measure

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