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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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. pit — in a race
  4. charge — a price
  5. bark — to shout
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. rash — a series
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. bulb — for light
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. charge — in control
  13. bulb — for light
  14. rash — hasty
  15. rock — a stone
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. lie — to recline
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. rock — music
  21. pit — a hole
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. charge — electricity

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