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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 120 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: dip · firm · pit · chair · trunk · board · track · bore

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. track — a path
  4. dip — to sink
  5. track — a song
  6. track — to keep track
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. board — a committee
  11. pit — in a race
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. firm — steady
  17. bore — to tire
  18. pit — a hole
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. chair — a leader
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. firm — a company
  23. bore — to drill
  24. firm — decided

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