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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.

Make a worksheet

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: foot · fall · cabinet · bass · object · degree · trunk · bore

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. bass — low music
  3. fall — to drop
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. bass — the fish
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. foot — a measure
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. fall — the season
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. object — an aim
  12. bore — to tire
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. object — a thing
  15. degree — temperature
  16. degree — from a university
  17. degree — an amount
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. object — to protest
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. fall — to drop
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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