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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: arm · lie · court · root · bore · trunk · object · wake

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. object — a thing
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. lie — to recline
  7. court — of a king
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. court — for sport
  10. bore — to tire
  11. bore — to drill
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. court — of law
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. root — of a plant
  16. object — to protest
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. wake — a trail
  19. root — the cause
  20. root — of a word
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. object — an aim

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