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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 116 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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. bark — to shout
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. band — a ring
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. mark — a grade
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. mine — for digging
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. band — a music group
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. squash — to crush
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. can — to be able to
  18. can — a tin
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. mark — a trace
  22. can — a tin
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. squash — the sport

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