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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. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. mug — a cup
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. suit — clothes
  5. bore — to tire
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. suit — to fit
  8. suit — in cards
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. hand — help
  13. bark — to shout
  14. plane — a tool
  15. bore — to drill
  16. perch — the fish
  17. hand — in cards
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. mug — a face
  24. mug — to rob

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