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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: ball · trunk · field · nail · vault · charge · bore · mug

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. charge — in control
  3. field — a subject
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. mug — to rob
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. ball — a great time
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. bore — to tire
  10. vault — a safe
  11. mug — a face
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. ball — a dance
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. field — farmland
  16. bore — to drill
  17. charge — a price
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. field — for sport
  20. charge — electricity
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. mug — a cup

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