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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: trunk · patient · stock · arm · plane · key · charge · bore

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. plane — a tool
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. stock — goods
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. key — the most important part
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. charge — in control
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. stock — shares
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. charge — electricity
  17. charge — a price
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. bore — to drill
  20. key — in music
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. bore — to tire
  23. key — for a lock
  24. arm — a part of something

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