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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: nail · bore · file · arm · trunk · pitch · bulb · rock

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. file — a document
  7. file — a line of people
  8. bore — to tire
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. rock — a stone
  12. file — a tool
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bulb — for light
  21. pitch — completely
  22. rock — music
  23. bore — to drill
  24. trunk — of a car

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