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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: key · stick · sharp · squash · trunk · drill · bore · perch

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. drill — army training
  4. key — the most important part
  5. squash — to crush
  6. key — for a lock
  7. sharp — clever
  8. drill — the tool
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. perch — the fish
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. key — in music
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. bore — to tire
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. bore — to drill
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. drill — a practice
  24. squash — the sport

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