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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: wound · rest · chip · pit · bound · plane · trunk · rush

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. plane — a tool
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. pit — a hole
  6. wound — an injury
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. bound — certain
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. bound — obliged
  11. rest — what's left
  12. chip — to eat
  13. chip — for betting
  14. bound — tied together
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. wound — an injury
  17. rest — what's left
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. rest — a break
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. pit — in a race

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