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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 tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. present — a gift
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. firm — a company
  8. board — to get on
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. chip — to eat
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. bark — to shout
  14. present — there
  15. board — a committee
  16. firm — steady
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. chip — for betting
  21. firm — decided
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. present — the time now
  24. board — a flat piece

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