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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 information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. can — to be able to
  4. current — happening now
  5. club — a group
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. club — for dancing
  8. can — a tin
  9. file — a line of people
  10. current — of water
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. current — electric
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. file — a tool
  15. can — a tin
  16. bark — to shout
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. prune — to trim
  19. prune — to trim
  20. club — for golf
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. trunk — of a tree

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