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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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. firm — steady
  4. court — of a king
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. dip — to sink
  7. rock — music
  8. court — for sport
  9. rock — a stone
  10. firm — a company
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. court — of law
  21. snap — to click
  22. bark — to shout
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. firm — decided

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