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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. lie — to recline
  4. rule — a law
  5. perch — the fish
  6. current — electric
  7. rule — government
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. current — happening now
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. drill — army training
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. pit — in a race
  16. drill — the tool
  17. current — of water
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. pit — a hole
  24. bark — to shout

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