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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: trunk · track · craft · kick · pitcher · present · bore · roll

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. roll — a list
  6. present — the time now
  7. craft — a skill
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. roll — a cake
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. present — a gift
  14. craft — boats
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. kick — in football
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. track — a path
  20. track — to keep track
  21. track — a song
  22. bore — to drill
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. bore — to tire

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