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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: drill · patient · trunk · bore · perch · suit · stand · ball

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. suit — in cards
  4. perch — the fish
  5. bore — to tire
  6. drill — a practice
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. bore — to drill
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. ball — a dance
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. drill — army training
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. drill — the tool
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. suit — to fit
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. stand — to bear
  24. ball — a great time

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