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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. rule — a law
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. bound — obliged
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. bound — tied together
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. kick — in football
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. mug — a cup
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. bound — certain
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. bark — to shout
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. mug — a face
  22. mug — to rob
  23. rule — government
  24. lash — an eyelash

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