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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 116 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: chair · trunk · firm · ground · craft · ball · bore · kick

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. ball — a great time
  3. craft — boats
  4. craft — a skill
  5. kick — in football
  6. ground — a position
  7. ground — crushed
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. firm — decided
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. firm — a company
  14. ground — the earth
  15. bore — to drill
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. bore — to tire
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. chair — a leader
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. firm — steady
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. craft — a handicraft

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