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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 sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. fall — to drop
  3. rock — a stone
  4. prune — to trim
  5. prune — to trim
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. charge — a price
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. charge — electricity
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. charge — in control
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. rock — music
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. fall — to drop
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. fall — the season
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. bark — 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