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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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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: bore · bass · chair · foot · cue · mate · fork · trunk

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. mate — a friend
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. cue — a signal
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. bore — to tire
  9. cue — a hint
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. fork — in a road
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. mate — to breed
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. bass — low music
  19. mate — a partner
  20. foot — a measure
  21. cue — for pool
  22. chair — a leader
  23. bass — the fish
  24. bore — gave birth

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