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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: rash · pop · scale · hand · bore · suit · trunk · object

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. bore — to tire
  3. rash — hasty
  4. suit — clothes
  5. hand — help
  6. bore — to drill
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. object — to protest
  10. scale — size or range
  11. pop — music
  12. rash — a series
  13. object — an aim
  14. object — a thing
  15. suit — to fit
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. scale — in music
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. suit — in cards
  22. pop — to visit
  23. pop — soda
  24. rash — on the skin

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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