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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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. bark — to shout
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. plane — a tool
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. bear — the animal
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. chip — for betting
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. chip — to eat
  16. mine — for digging
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. fork — in a road
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. bear — the animal

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