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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: mark · bore · trunk · tear · ball · can · rash · club

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. can — to be able to
  4. ball — a dance
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. tear — from crying
  7. can — a tin
  8. bore — to drill
  9. can — a tin
  10. mark — a trace
  11. ball — a great time
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. bore — to tire
  15. tear — from crying
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. tear — to rip
  18. club — for dancing
  19. mark — a grade
  20. rash — hasty
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. club — for golf
  23. rash — a series
  24. club — a group

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