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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: trunk · bore · nail · chair · pit · object · mouse · coach

  1. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. object — an aim
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. chair — a leader
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. object — a thing
  7. pit — in a race
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. bore — to tire
  10. object — to protest
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. bore — to drill
  15. pit — a hole
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. nail — on a finger

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